Defrosting Icy Hearts
by Turbo K1000
Summary: One woman with white hair and a cold heart, and one man with blood eyes and an ever present smile. An unfortunate and unwanted series of events brought these two together and with a darkness looming on the horizon, do they have time to realize their feelings and change for the better, or will they fall into the abyss without a trace? More information inside! JadexOC!
1. Chapter 1: World of the Score

**Tales of the Abyss**

**Defrosting Icy Hearts**

**Chapter 1 - World of the Score**

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**A/N: I do not own Tales of the Abyss!**

**I do however own Brave!**

**Please ask permission before using her.**

**Alright, I know I deleted Alternate Times, but there is a very good reason for that! Since it was a personal fanfic, it was made for fun, not for others to look at, so when given criticism, most of it was negative.**

**I decided to create a version of Alternate Times for Fanfiction only, following most of the comments I got from my reviews!**

**All the chapters are the length of one episode of the anime, make sure you have time to read them!**

**Also, this story is based from the beginning to the end of the anime, so there will be spoilers. There will be some small alterations, or maybe big alterations as the story goes on as it is the anime but with my OC added in.**

**I had to give Jade someone to love. I just had to.**

**WARNING: This fic contains some mild dark themes, if you don't like it don't read it.**

**I will warn you every chapter I believe has a little bit of darkness in it, so don't worry about that.**

**Enjoy!**

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The sun began to rise over the large city known as Baticul, life began to bristle through the crowded streets as the markets opened for their daily business at the crack of dawn, a normal occurrence in the busy city.

However there was one who did not rise, who refused to rise this early. In the inn at the lower part of town, lay a young woman with snow white, shoulder-length hair, her eyes closed tightly as she rolled over, to avoid the rays of sun shining on her face through the open window.

She let out a breath of relaxation as she slowly began to slip back into the realm of dreams, only to be stirred once more by a knock on the door.

"Oh for the love of-" The woman growled, rolling onto her back and sitting up with a look of anger in those dark lilac eyes. "What?"

"That's a nice welcome!"

The woman rolled her eyes and watched as the door opened to reveal a man with spiky blonde hair and deep blue eyes, a smile on his face as he stood there with a sack of Gald. Daily shopping money it seemed.

"Morning Guy..." The woman grumbled, yawning without so much as a smile on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Luke asked for you to come over today, and since I'm going grocery shopping, I thought I would pass on the message!"

"I'm no longer his Swords Master..." The woman informed her friend, going to get out of bed, giving Guy a 'turn around' look. Guy chuckled and turned, allowing his closest friend some privacy as she slipped out of bed and put on her black battle suit that went down to her thighs and lacked sleeves, a single white band around the collar going halfway up her neck.

"Doesn't mean he doesn't like talking to you..." Guy said, turning again when he heard her scuffing the toes of her boots on the floor. "After all, you're his friend aren't you?"

The woman sighed and grabbed her sheath, slipping it on and letting it hang on her hips. "Alright, alright..." She grumbled, walking over and smirking when Guy froze to her left. "What's the matter, Guy? Are you cold?"

"B-B-Brave!" Guy cried, stepping back and pinning himself to the closet beside her. "Y-you know why I'm like this!"

Brave Moon chuckled and shook her head, continuing from the room. "I know, I know! Come on, let's not leave Master Luke waiting!"

"Wait! We need to buy groceries first!"

Brave's groan resounded through the hallways and Guy laughed, following behind, leaving a little distance between himself and his good friend.

~TotA~

"Right, are you sure that's everything?" Brave asked, looking at the list as Guy carried the bag, both of them walking towards the manor to meet with Luke.

"Of course! I have served house Fabre for a long time, I think I've learned to shop for them by now!" Guy argued playfully, smiling down at Brave who rolled her eyes and double-checked the list.

"You know how Master Luke gets if you forget something..." Brave pointed out, eyeing the servant as she folded up the list and placed it in her medicine pouch.

"I know Brave! You don't have to keep reminding me!" Guy sighed as they walked up the steps and into the manor. "Anyway, how come you resigned as Luke's Swords Master?"

"I have my reasons..."

Guy frowned and looked down at the former Swords Master with worry, before the shouts of the House Fabre servants caught his ear and he looked up.

"Master Luke? Master Luke?" Several servants shouted, looking around for the young master they served. Brave groaned and face palmed at her former student's behavior. "Again?" Guy asked with a small smile.

"Guy!"

Guy jumped slightly and turned his head to see a servant right next to him. "Have you seen Master Luke?" She asked and her reply was Guy's scream and Brave holding her stomach with laughter as he dove back and pinned himself to the wall, leaving the servant to catch his groceries.

"I-is there anything you have to tell him?" He asked in a panic, giving Brave one cold glare as she wiped a tear from her eye, muttering about Guy's face.

"A guest arrived!"

"A guest?"

"She is talking about me!" A voice said and Brave groaned, turning and standing up straight as Natalia approached them, a woman with golden blonde hair that went halfway down her neck and hazel green eyes. "Good morning, Princess Natalia..." She said, bowing with her hands linked in front of her, not what the tradition stated when addressing royalty.

"When bowing to royalty, you do so by keeping your arms by your side, Brave..." Natalia scolded, proving so by bowing herself, much to the former Swords Master's annoyance. "Were you not raised to be proper?"

"My apologies..." Brave ground out, swallowing her pride and bowing like Natalia demonstrated, glaring holes into Guy who chuckled. "I shall correct my manners..."

"So you should!" Natalia said, looking at Guy. "Now, where is Luke?"

Brave glanced at Guy who hummed and stroked his chin, thinking of the possible places his master could be hiding. He smirked and snapped his fingers. "Ah-ha! Follow me, Brave!"

~TotA~

Luke sat in a tree, his fingers entwined behind his head as he looked out at the view of the manor, half hidden by the tall trees around him. He had long, ass-length, red hair with yellow tips and green eyes.

The young master sighed with a complaint. "Nothing ever happens here..."

"That's actually a good thing, Master Luke!"

Luke hummed and looked into the nearest tree, seeing Brave sitting in almost the same position he was, except her arms were crossed over her chest, not entwined behind her head. "Ah! Brave!" He said excitedly, sitting up with a smile.

"I knew we'd find you here!" Guy stood on the branch below her, holding onto the trunk of the tree to stop himself falling, Luke looked down at his servant who was smiling even with the scolding tone in his voice. "Luke, I've already told you that going out on your own without telling anyone causes trouble here!"

"How did you find me?" Luke asked with a whine as Brave rolled her eyes and closed them, relaxing in the sunlight with a small smile on her face. "How long have the pair of us been watching over you?" She asked, opening one eye to look at the young master.

"Being able to tell where one's master is..." Guy continued, speaking solely for himself this time. "It's a must for the average servant!"

"I've never considered you as just a simple servant, Guy!" Luke roared, feeling insulted by Guy's words. Brave sighed and stood up, glaring at Luke with her 'teacher eyes' as he liked to call them. "Is that tone necessary, Master Luke?" She asked, her voice dripping with authority and respect for her student. "Guy was kidding, if he had been serious, would he have been smiling like that?"

Luke make a noise and looked down, hating it when his former Swords Master would scold him. Even now after she had been relieved of her duty, she would still take it upon herself to teach him proper manners and sometimes she would spar with him if she had the time.

"Guy, Brave, did you find Luke?"

Brave groaned again and looked down at Natalia, who stopped beneath the tree both she and Guy were in. "Hello again, Princess Natalia..." She said, bowing her head with respect.

Natalia gave her a scolding look for her position in the tree and she rolled her eyes without the princess seeing, then she dropped out of the tree and landed gracefully on the ground, her sword clattering against the ground in it's sheath.

Straight after she had landed and straightened up, Guy landed beside her and stood up also, stepping back nervously when he realized he was too close to Brave. "He's up there!" He said, looking up at the young master who stiffened up.

"You idiot! Don't tell her!"

Brave chuckled softly and looked up at Luke. "It's not nice to ignore your fiancee, Master Luke!" She said, putting her hands on her hips. "Now come down and say hello!"

"Luke, what are you doing up there?" Natalia gasped as Luke mumbled something about his former Swords Master under his breath and stood up.

"What I do is none of your business!" Luke shouted down, glaring at his fiancee with annoyance. "After all, I won't be able to leave this place..."

Brave watched with expert eyes as Luke jumped from branch to branch before grabbing another and swinging off it, landing in front of them with less grace than the other two who climbed trees. "Sloppy..." She scolded, crossing her arms when Luke stood up. "Try speeding up a little more, then it might be usable in battle!"

"Okay, okay!" Luke said, rolling his wrist in a sign for her to keep her comments to herself. Brave's eyes narrowed at his disrespect for her teachings but she put a small smile onto her features. "How are you today, Master Luke?" She asked, dropping the teacher act and talking to Luke as an equal.

"How many times have I told you, Brave?" Luke groaned, glaring at his former sword instructor. "You don't need to call me 'master!' You don't work at the Fabre manor, you can speak to me like Guy does!"

"I'm sorry, Master Luke, I speak to you as I would speak to Duke Fabre or Duchess Fabre..." Brave informed her former student with her usual bow, again scolded by Natalia. "If it bothers you, I can stop, however it will not be seen as proper..."

"That's right!" Natalia said, glaring at Brave who tried so hard not to give some nasty comments to the spoiled princess. "It's improper for former staff to speak to the house owners without formality!"

"S-staff?" Brave growled, her eye twitching as she straightened up and opened her mouth to say something she would never regret. However Guy decided to intervene, so Brave didn't end up getting into trouble.

"Now, now, ladies!" Guy said, smiling nervously. "There's no need to start an argument! Natalia didn't mean staff and Brave is just tired!"

"GUY!" Both women roared and he jumped back, frightened of what they would do. Brave sighed and ran her fingers through her fringe, a sign she was calming herself. "Alright, alright, I'm calm..." She said, although a hint of aggravation still remained in her voice. "I shall continue to address Luke as Master Luke until the day I die..."

"Natalia, why did you have to do that?" Luke whined, he hated it when his friend called him 'Master Luke,' not even Van called him that. "Now she'll keep calling me that!"

"Luke, is that any way to speak to your fiancee?" Natalia scolded and Brave rolled her eyes, pulling out her sword and inspecting her beloved blade for imperfections.

"'Fiancee?' It's just something our parents decided on their own..." Luke said, entwining his hands behind his head and looking away from the group.

"It is true our engagement has been decided since our birth..." Natalia said, a small smile on her lips. "However there is indeed a bond between us..." She linked her fingers and looked up at the sky with love shining in her eyes. "I was really happy when you gave that promise!"

Luke's face turned to frightened panic at that moment and he gave Natalia one of his moodiest looks. "I've already told you! There's no way I'd remember proposing to you when I was just a kid!"

Natalia looked at Luke with shock and frowned, looking at the ground with a sadness dulling her hazel eyes. "Oh that's right...It has been seven years since you were kidnapped by the Malkuth Empire, and came back unharmed..."

Brave sighed and looked down as she re-sheathed her sword, remembering the scene vividly herself, after all, she was the one who had brought Luke home.

_Brave panted hard as she ran through the dark forest at night, rain hitting her hard in the strong downpour from the heavens above. She had caught wind of where her student had been taken and she was going to find him and finally bring him home._

_"Master Luke! Master Luke?!" Brave shouted as she bust open the doors into an old castle. "Master Luke! It's me, Brave, where are you?!"_

_She looked around and spotted a tuft of red hair behind a door coming off it's hinges. "Luke!" She gasped, running over to the door and pushing it open._

_There, on a chair on the other end of the small room, was her student, Luke, staring at her as if she was some stranger, shaking and terrified._

_"Luke..." She sighed, walking over and pulling off her long brown coat, the rain outside had been dreadful. "It's alright, I've come to take you home..." She said, draping the coat around the boy's shoulders, ready to protect him from said rain._

_Luke stared at her without trust and Brave blinked, unsure of her student's sudden distrust of her. "Luke, it's me, Brave..." She said, placing her hand on her chest. "Don't you remember?"_

_When Luke shuffled further away, she sighed again. "What have the Malkuth done to you?" She asked, turning and crouching down. "Come on! I know a place you'll be safe, we can figure out what's wrong and help you! I promise!"_

_Luke stared at Brave and the honesty in her lilac eyes, before he shuffled forward and climbed clumsily on her back, holding onto her tight as she held his thighs, keeping the boy from slipping._

_"Right, let's get out of here!" She said, quickly sprinting from the castle and into the rain, not caring as she was soaked to the bone, she had to get Luke home and figure out what was the matter with him._

Brave sighed and ran her fingers through her fringe, a frown evident on her face. Thanks to that traumatic incident with Malkuth, the young master had forgotten everything before that event.

"Who cares about the past anymore?!" Luke barked, getting all three of them to look up in shock, all of them remembering that day. "I am who I am!"

"Yeah, you're right!" Guy said with a bright smile, walking over to his master and standing beside him. "Even if you don't have your memories, you grew up just fine!"

Brave smiled softly and so did Natalia when Guy came out with a cheeky remark. "No, maybe you should still grow up a little..."

"What did you say?!" Luke barked, shocked and angry at Guy's remark. It seemed that one of Luke's nerves were his height. "You just had to hit where it hurts!"

"If you want to grow so badly, lose the picky food habits!" Guy retaliated, smirking when Luke argued back. "Don't get so cocky because of your height! Just you wait and I'll be just as tall as you!"

"Is that so, well good luck!" Guy teased, his voice bright as he tormented Luke.

Natalia laughed softly, covering her mouth with her manners as Brave chuckled, placing her hand on her hip with a smirk.

"What now, Natalia, Brave?"

"Seeing you like that, it is as if you are brothers!" Natalia commented and Brave laughed softly, nodding and crossing her arms. "I see the resemblance!" She commented cheekily, looking from one to another. "Both of them can be insufferable at times!"

"Hey, hey!" Guy complained, smirking at Brave. "There's no need for the bite, Brave!"

"Really?" Luke asked, not hearing Guy's reply as he mulled over what Natalia said about him and his friend. "Well, we're always together, after all..."

Guy stared at Luke for a moment before looking away with a smile. "Yeah that's right, Guy! Let your ego inflate!" Brave teased, walking over and grabbing his forearm with her hand, making the man in question turn into a statue. "However remember, I can deflate it just by touching you!"

She let go and laughed as Guy rocketed away and Luke grinned, happy that Brave had taught the blonde servant a lesson. Natalia smiled at the three of them as Guy walked back over, complaining about Brave's constant teasing.

"Hey! Don't blame me for your girl issues!" Brave scolded, crossing her arms, no smile on her face, but playfulness in her eyes. "It's not my fault you can't get a girlfriend! How many women have I tried to set you up with?"

"Th-that's not fair, Brave!" Guy argued back, crossing his arms as well, as he was a little taller than her, it did little to intimidate her. "You know I can't touch women!"

"Oh? Men aren't part of this?" Brave asked, humming and looking up at the sky. "Damn, I should have set you up with this guy I know, he's gorgeous-"

"That's not funny!"

Brave burst into a fit of laughter and held her stomach, smiling up at her friend, one of the few people she was actually close to. Guy was almost like a little brother to her.

However Natalia interrupted by sullying Luke's mood, after all, he was enjoying the playful banter going on between his two good friends. "I can often be disappointed in you..." The princess commented on her fiance.

"What?" Luke asked, having not been paying attention. Both Brave and Guy stopped bickering too and looked back at the royalty before them.

"Nevertheless, just being with you like now is enough for my happiness..." She turned and walked a few steps away from them before she stopped and looked at Luke over her shoulder. "But I would still love to hear that promise, just once...You will remember one day, won't you?"

Then she turned and began walking away again, while Brave walked up to a tree and leaned against it with her eyes closed, relaxing in the sunlight. "Remind me again why she came..." Luke said, staring after his fiancee.

"To see you, of course!" Guy said, smiling at his master who glared at him with annoyance. "Let's head back too..." The servant said, starting to walk away too. "Everyone's probably making a big fuss over at the mansion!"

Brave pushed off of the tree and sighed, placing her hand on the helm of her sword. "I'm going to speak to Duke Fabre, just a small hello before I go out of town for the day to brush up on my skills...I've almost mastered a new fonic arte and I need to work on it a little more!"

"Really? I always saw you as a Swords Master not a Fonist..."

"Shows what you know!" Brave said, smirking. "I'm a Swords Master yes, but if I learn to control Fonons too, then I can do more damage and keep my enemies guessing!"

"Ahhh, I see..."

Suddenly they heard a noise of pain from Luke and spun round to see the young master fall to his knees, gripping his long red locks in a his fists. "Luke!" Both of them shouted, running towards the boy.

"My head...!"

They both stopped in front of the boy, unsure what to do in the moments he writhed in agony, before he finally collapsed and they both dropped to their knees to help. "Luke!" Guy shouted, trying to get a response.

"Dammit!" Brave cursed, checking his pulse. "He's fine, he just passed out again!" She confirmed, standing up. "Come on, we have to get him to his room!"

"Right!" Guy said, nodding as he grabbed Luke's arm and draped it over his shoulder, standing as Brave ran ahead, going to tell the duke, duchess and princess of her former student's collapse.

~TotA~

Maybe an hour had passed since Luke had returned to his room via Guy's help. He was now laying in bed, resting, still not rousing from his unconscious state.

Guy was leaning against the ledge in front of the window, on the opposite side as Brave, who was sitting on said ledge with one leg crossed over the other and her arms crossed.

"Are these headaches becoming more frequent?" Brave asked, not looking away from the view outside as Guy sighed. "Yeah...I don't know what's causing them..."

Brave didn't speak and Guy decided to kick up a conversation on a topic that had been bothering him for a while. "Brave, where are you from?"

"Does that matter?"

"Yeah...If you're from Malkuth, it's possible the duke relieved you of your duty..." Guy said, shaking his head with a sigh. "Although I doubt even the duke would believe you to be behind Luke's kidnapping.."

"I'm from Chesedonia, Guy..." Brave explained, looking at her friend with a frown, her eyes hard, but not as hard as when they had first met. "Neither Kimlasca or Malkuth territory..."

Guy smiled and decided to brighten up the mood. "Well then, next time I need to go shopping, we can go to the trading capital of Auldrant to get some good discounts!"

Brave laughed softly and smiled slightly, running her fingers through her fringe with a gentle inhale of air. Guy knew exactly what to say to make her smile. "Alright, but you're the one paying!"

"Oh come on! You used to get paid _way_ more than me!"

"That was then, do I look like I'm rolling in Gald now?!"

"Would you both shut up?" A rough voice asked and both bickering adults turned their heads to see Luke sitting up. "You finally awake?" Guy asked, walking over to his master's side.

"I..."

"Those headaches again?"

"Yeah, it always comes without warning..." Luke explained and Brave sighed, standing up and walking over to the other side of the bed, as not to frighten Guy. "What the heck is this?"

"It's ever since you were kidnapped by Malkuth...Right?" Brave clarified, her arms crossed as she remembered all the times she caught Luke with those headaches.

"Those Malkuth bastards!" Luke cursed angrilly, rubbing his sore head. "What the hell did they do to me?"

"If we had the answer Luke, then we might be able to stop these headaches...But we don't..." Violet said, sighing and walking towards the door. "I need inform Duke Fabre that you're awake...I'll be back soon, Master Luke..." Then she gave him a two fingered salute and walked out, closing the door behind her.

"I'd best tell the staff your awake..." Guy said, smiling at his friend. "Don't have anymore headaches while I'm gone!"

"It's not like I can control them!"

Guy chuckled and left the room, giving the same salute as Brave as he did so and Luke frowned with annoyance. "I don't get those two..."

~TotA~

Luke hummed softly with a smile as he polished his cutlass, having no cares in the world as he did the only thing other than wandering that seemed interesting.

Brave hadn't returned yet and he knew she was true to her word, so he sat there, waiting for her to reappear, she had a habit of doing so.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and he smiled, still wiping the sword with a cloth. "Come in!" He said brightly, having recovered from his headache and was feeling cheerful again.

"Pardon me..."

Luke hummed and looked back to see a servant smiling at him, bowed with respect. "His Grace is calling for you..." She informed him. "Please come to the drawing room..."

"Alright, dismissed!" Luke said, watching as the servant left and he slipped his cutlass back into it's sheath with a smile.

It took him about five minutes to reach the drawing room and he walked inside without so much as knocking. "Here I am, Father..." He said, closing the door behind him.

"Yes, take a seat, Luke..."

"Okay!" Luke said, running towards the chair next to Van, Brave was sat at one end, with Duke Fabre at the other, his wife Duchess Fabre to his right and Van Grants, Luke's current Swords Master, to his left.

"Master!" Luke spoke brightly, looking at Van as he sat down, Brave frowned and crossed her arms, awaiting Duke Fabre's words. "Will you help me train today?" Luke continued, Van smiling beside him.

"We will later!" Van told the young master, smiling at his student as Brave exhaled and remembered how Luke used to ask her that all the time. "But before that, we have something important to discuss..."

Luke made a noise of protest and Brave hissed softly, correcting his behavior, which he ignored to her annoyance. "Luke, listen well..." Duke Fabre said, his voice stern as he awaited his son's attention. "Dorian General Grants will be returning to Daath tomorrow..."

"Why all of a sudden?" Luke asked, a small hint of disdain in his voice, he didn't want his current Swords Master leaving now after all this time.

"You're aware that I am part of the Oracle Knights, a faction of the Order of Lorelei, aren't you?" Van asked and Luke replied with a curious tone. "You're Commandant of the Oracle, right?"

"That's right...My current mission is to take command of the Oracle Knights and protect Fon Master Ion..."

"'Fon Master Ion?' What's that?" Luke asked and Brave sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Haven't we studied this, Master Luke?" She asked, and Luke thought back, still drawing up a blank.

"He is the leader of the Order of Lorelei..." Duchess Fabre began to explain, smiling fondly at her son. "Two thousand years ago, Yulia Jue, who held a great power, read the planet's memory through Fonons...The Score that narrates the planet's life from birth to death is protected by the Order of Lorelei, and makes sure it is not misused..."

Brave forced herself not to roll her eyes at the information given. She had never been religious and the Score to her meant nothing. She saw her life through without the need of the Score and she was glad too, she didn't like knowing what would happen next, in case the news wasn't good.

"So that Ion guy is very important?" Luke asked.

"Of course! It is thanks to the Fon Master that peace was formed between the Malkuth Empire with whom we battled for centuries and our own country of Kimlasca-Lanveldear..."

Then Duke Fabre took over with the explanation while Brave sat there, listening intently with a look of both curiosity and interest. "If the previous Fon Master, Evenos, was the one who ended the Hod War, the present Fon Master, Ion, can be considered a symbol of peace...And that Fon Master Ion is currently missing!"

"As part of the Oracle Knights, it's my duty to look for him..." Van concluded and Brave almost jumped out of her skin when Luke suddenly rose from his seat. "No way! If you go back home, who will supervise my lessons?"

"Dorian General Grants will eventually come back...However we have another arrangement in mind..." Duke Fabre said, getting his son's attention as he looked at Brave, who blinked, not catching on.

"What?! Me?!" Brave asked, when it finally clicked. "You want me to be Luke's Swords Master again?!"

"Of course, Brave!" Duchess Fabre said, that kind smile on her face once more. "You're a good teacher and a family friend, who else would we ask?"

Brave thought it over, wondering what she should do, there was a reason she resigned in the first place, but recently she had begun to miss her role as Luke's Swords Master.

"It depends..." Brave said, looking up with nothing but respect in her eyes. "I will not take the role as Swords Master without both Commandant Van and Master Luke's approval..."

Brave looked at her student and a man she held respect for, he was Luke's currently Swords Master and rather close to her former student, she would respect him, although not as much as she did the Fabre family.

"I am fine with this decision..." Van said, nodding with a smile, he respected Brave too, she knew how to act around royalty and how to discipline someone in the wrong. "There isn't a Swords Master finer!"

Brave and the others looked at Luke who hesitated, making Brave's eyes narrow as she felt her former student's disrespect. "I...I guess it's okay..."

"You 'guess?'" Duke Fabre asked, his own eyes narrowing, when had his son become so disrespectful to his former sword instructor? "This is an important decision, Luke, if you do not want to be supervised during your training, then we will not assign Brave as your Swords Master! Learn to show respect for your teacher!"

Luke growled and sat back down, sulking with his chin in his hand. "Dear!" Duchess Fabre gasped, shocked by her husband's harsh words. "You don't need to speak so harshly! This child has lived through a traumatic experience, that made him lose his memories..."

"Suzanne, you're spoiling him too much..." Duke Fabre said, as Brave felt sweat slide down her cheek. She didn't like this situation, was she Luke's Swords Master, or not?

"Well, if Luke is certain, then I believe Brave should be able to handle his lessons..." Van said, changing the subject as not to upset the boy beside him further. "Do you want Brave's tutoring, Luke?"

"I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't..." Luke grumbled, not looking anyone in the eye. Brave sighed and stood up, bowing to the duke and duchess.

"If you will excuse me, I must go and tend to my own business...I will give this proposition some thought, and if needs must and Master Luke finally gives me an answer I can accept, you know where to find me..."

Duke Fabre and Duchess Fabre both nodded and Brave left, glaring ahead as she walked down the halls, hearing Luke exit and run to his room. She looked back to see him enter said room with a smile on his young features.

Van was probably training him to make him happy.

Brave scoffed and turned, walking at a much brisker pace, her face sharp and angered. She remembered the times when Luke used to respect her like he did Van.

Since the kidnapping and Van spending more time with Luke training him, the boy had slowly started treating her poorly, until it got to the point where she wanted to yell at him, something she wouldn't do unless she had absolute reason.

It was not her place to scream at the young master, not even when she was his Swords Master.

Brave walked towards the manor doors and walked out, inhaling the clean air as the wind brushed her hair back. She loved the outdoors, she spent more time in trees than anywhere else.

The young Swords Master let a smile slip onto her lips as she walked down the steps towards the gate. However she heard something, a song, and suddenly she fell to her knees, her eyes drooping with exhaustion.

"Wh-what is that?!" She gasped, planting her hands into the stone pavement below her to keep herself from falling. "I-it feels like my body is made of the heaviest metal..."

She looked up weakily as a woman passed her, not even sparing her a passing glance, she was still singing that song. "You!" She growled, staggering to her feet and shakily chasing after the woman, who had already entered the manor.

~TotA~

Luke charged at Van with his sword held high, swinging it with all his might as Van blocked it like a Swords Master could.

Just as the young Fabre was about to attack again, a song filled the air and he hummed, looking up. "What?" He muttered, looking around.

Van heard the song and gasped, placing his hand on his forehead as he suddenly felt the strain of exhaustion and dropped to his knees. "This voice is...!"

Luke made a noise of struggle as he too fell to his knees, using his sword to keep himself from face-planting the patioed ground below. "Wh-what is this?! My body won't move...!"

Guy staggered around and grabbed the bench as he fell to the ground, his knees and hand hard on the ground. "This is...A Fonic Hymn...!" Pere gasped as Guy spoke softly to himself. "Damn, I suddenly feel so tired..."

They all heard a noise and a woman jumped off the ceiling, landing behind Van a few feet away. "I've found you at last!" She shouted with malice as Brave burst through the doors, staggering forward and landing on her knees. "Vandestelca, you traitor!"

Van gasped and turned to see the woman behind him as she kicked off from the ground. "Prepare to die!" She roared as Brave cursed and got to her feet, shakily running towards them as Van began dodging the woman's attacks clumsily before she jumped back.

"So it's you, Mystearica..." Van said, landing on his knees and using his sword to hold himself up as Brave tripped and panted hard on her hands and knees. "Why are you doing such a thing?"

"You should know that better than anyone!" Mystearica said, her voice dripping with cold malice. "I won't forgive you!" Then she ran forward once more, her spear raised for a fatal blow. "Die!"

Luke gasped and ran in front of Van, using his blade to block the attack as Brave lunged and grabbed Mystearica from behind, too weak to pull her back, but hindering her movements.

"Who the hell are you?!" Luke snarled as his blade locked with the pole of her spear/wand. "What do you want with Master Van?!"

Suddenly a blue light flickered from between the two weapons and Mystearica's eyes widened while Brave felt confusion leak into her brain.

"No! Stop!" Van shouted, but it was too late. The last thing Brave saw before blacking out was an agonizing white light, then darkness surrounded her.

_Fonons..._

_Frequency..._

_Wake up...Wake up..._

"Wake up!"

Brave gasped as her eyes snapped open and she saw the face of Mystearica. "Wh-what?!" She gasped, not fully conscious yet. "What's..." She cleared her hoarse throat, her eyes blinking sluggishly. "What's going on?"

"Good, you're unhurt as well..." ,Mystearica said, her smile soft as she realized she hadn't hurt either her nor Luke. "Can you move?"

"Yeah...I think so..." Brave grumbling, planting her hands into the grassy ground below and pushing herself up so she arched forward, her hands now in front of her to stop her falling again. "Why does it feel like my head is swimming?"

"It's natural..." Mystearica said, looking her over incase of any unseen injuries. "It seems me and the boy over there..." She pointed to Luke who was staring out at the ocean. "...Caused a hyperresonance between us...I'm sorry you got caught inside...If it's any consolation, I had no idea Luke was a Seventh Fonist too..."

Brave narrowed her eyes at her student. 'Neither did I..' She thought, then remembered the entire reason they were currently sat in a field in the middle of the night. With her sudden suspicion, she gave Mystearica a once over, not seeing any hostility or any intentions of harming either her or her student.

Once her suspicions dulled down, she spoke again. "If I don't kill you now, would you swear no harm will come to me or my student?"

Mystearica blinked and looked back at Luke. "He's your student?" She asked, looking back and when Brave nodded she smiled reassuringly. "Of course, I hadn't meant for you to get involved in the first place...I do not want to harm you..."

"Yet Van is a target?"

Mystearica stayed silent and Brave sighed, realizing she had no right to ask at that moment, since it was dark and she knew this place, Tartaroo Valley. "Come on, it's too dangerous at night to be wandering..."

"I am sorry for dragging you both into this mess..." Mystearica said as Luke walked back over to them, the initial shock of seeing the ocean for the first time finally wearing off. "It is my responsibility to see that I get you both back to Baticul..."

Brave arched a brow and stood up, gripping the helm of her sword. "I don't need protecting, I made my way from Chesedonia to Baticul without help, I'm sure I can take care of this..."

"Even so, the more people you have fighting by your side, the safer you'll be..." Mystearica argued simply, knowing Brave knew this, but was too stubborn to want assistance.

Brave's eyes sharpened with a biting remark, but she held it back. "I'll be fine!" She ground out, her pride taking a hit. "If you get in my way, I won't be responsible for what might happen...I fight without mercy, remember that..."

"Understood..." Mystearica said, nodding, confusing Luke. How come Brave wasn't kicking her ass?! "Anyway, I believe it's time I introduced myself...My name is Tear..." She placed her hand on her chest and bowed.

Brave didn't bow. "My name is Brave..." She then gestured to the red-head beside her. "This is Young Master Luke..." She said as Luke glared at them. "I am his temporary Swords Master, he is under my protection..."

"How come with strangers you act formal?" Luke asked, his voice laced with annoyance. "When you talk to Guy you act different!"

Brave's eyes narrowed and Luke flinched back, expecting a tongue lashing from his teacher, but instead she turned and all but marched towards the forest.

"Is she usually this..." Tear didn't know what word to use. "...Blank?"

Luke shrugged, walking after Brave with a bored sigh. Tear jogged up to them and walked in time with them, not a word said between the three.

Suddenly Brave and Tear heard a noise and looked towards the bushes under the trees. Suddenly a monster jumped out and Brave reacted quickly, pulling out her sword and slashing it in half, watching as it's corpse hit the floor behind her.

"Keep sharp!" She shouted, as at least a dozen more followed. "There's no telling how many there are!"

Tear nodded and both she and Brave ran at the monsters, roaring with malice as they killed them, one at a time! Luke eventually joined the frey and the monsters were all killed between them.

Brave didn't relax however as she kept her ears sharp, the other two lowering their weapons. "Stop!" She shouted as she turned and several more monsters dove out. "Get back! I'm going to cast and it's too dangerous for you all!"

Tear gasped when a Fonic Glyph appeared below Brave and the newer member of the group grabbed Luke's arm, dragging him back and behind a rock.

"Between the stars and the heavens above, there lies the true power within..." Brave chanted, her hand slowly rising into the air as comets and stars began to shoot across the sky too fast and enveloped in fire. "Destroy my enemies with your majesty which is held out of this world! Go!" She suddenly dropped and her hand swung towards the ground, the stars beginning to fall. "Cosmic Wave!" Then her hand slammed against the dirt below.

Suddenly both Tear and Luke made a noise of shock as the comets hit the ground around Brave, exploding on impact, shrouding her and the beasts with smoke.

Luke poked his head out as the smoke began to clear and stood in the middle of a massacre of monster corpses, covered in splattered monster blood, was Brave, who was breathing rather heavily.

"A-awesome!" Luke gasped as Brave dropped to her knees and Tear ran over to her. "Brave, are you alright?" She asked, going to help Brave, who slapped her hand away with stubborn pride.

"I'm...Fine!" She gasped, placing her hand on the ground again. "Just...Used an arte...I shouldn't use..." She reassured them. "Damn...I should have been more careful..."

"What was that arte?"

"Haven't you ever heard of a Mystic Arte?" She asked and Tear nodded, so she sighed. "There you go..."

"Wait, what's a Mystic Arte?" Luke asked and Tear was the one to explain. "A Mystic Arte is a powerful type of arte that can only be learned through intense training and discipline...However they drain your fonons and leave you weak for up to an hour..."

"Longer...For me..." Brave gasped, trying to get to her feet, using her sword for leverage. "Shouldn't have used it...Anyway...It's too dangerous an arte..."

"So why use it?"

She took a deep breath and spoke with calmly, if a little winded. "Because that arte...would scare all the monsters off in the nearby area..." She ran her fingers through her fringe. "I haven't used a Mystic Arte in a long time...Forgot how much power it drains..."

"When you're able to move without straining yourself, we'll continue again..."

Brave scoffed and glared at Tear. Just because she had helped doesn't mean she would be nice to her. She still didn't trust this woman, after all. "I'm fine..." She growled, walking forward slowly, the world warping around her.

Tear and Luke followed behind, glancing at one another with hints of worry. However after ten minutes of walking, they heard running water.

"We'll stop for a break..." Brave said, her legs shaking beneath her, she had moved too soon after casting and she was more or less running on adrenaline, and even that was starting to falter. "I think we could all do with a drink..."

"I'm not drinking river water!" Luke barked, grimacing as Brave glared at him over her shoulder. "It's dirty and disgusting!"

"River water is constantly flowing, so it's constantly clean!" Brave said, her voice taking on that 'teacher' edge. "If you're not thirsty, don't drink!"

Luke grumbled as they approached the river, only to see a man with a pail dipping it into the water. He saw them and cried out, dropping the bucket. "Who are you?!" He panicked, looking from one to another. "Don't tell me...The Dark Wings?!"

"The Dark Wings?" Tear asked, lowering her weapon, she had raised it in case there had been a threat in the man, but there didn't seem to be.

"A group of thieves running wild in this area...Am I wrong?" The man asked.

"Well, if we were those thieves, we wouldn't need reminding who we are and what we do, would we?" Brave asked, crossing her arms carefully, she had her sword out, after all. Her breathing was deep as she tried to stop herself from showing her exhaustion.

"I see...Are you lost then?"

"Yes, we...walked into the valley and lost our sense of direction when monsters attacked us..." Brave lied convincingly, holding her blade tight, she hadn't put it back since she had drawn it out at the start of the monster ambush, she didn't know if there were any other monsters left behind and it would be bad if they were jumped unarmed.

The man smiled and lifted the pale, it still had some water in it. "If you're lost, would you like to ride my carriage? I'm a coachman! The horses and customers are taking a break over there!" He pointed to his left.

"A coach? We're saved!" Luke exclaimed happy and Brave smirked, placing her hand on her hip with a softer look in her usually cold eyes, she was glad to find a place to rest.

"Will, you got to the capital?" Tear asked, her face still stoic.

"Yeah, it's our final destination!" The coachman said, smiling at them with kindness. "Ah, but it costs 20,000 Gald for one person...Got it?"

"Holy crap!" Brave gasped, then blushed crimson and cleared her throat, forcing her blush down. "Is there anyway we can whittle that price down?"

"No, sorry..."

Tear thought for a moment before she exhaled with sorrow, pulling off her necklace and walking over to the coachman. "Take this..." She said softly, placing the gem in his hands.

The coachman looked at the gem in the light as Tear's face showed how precious that necklace was. Brave frowned, looking down at her sword and gripped it tighter. It must have been a sentimental necklace for her to look at it like that.

"Alright, come with me!" The coachman said after examining the gem. He turned and left and Luke spoke without really thinking. "You've got some nice stuff with you! Now I won't have to dirty my shoes anymore!"

Tear's face sharpened as Luke walked off and Brave stepped up to her side. "It must have been important..." Was all she said, before she continued, shocking Tear.

Had she heard a tone of understanding in Brave's voice, or had she been imagining it?

~TotA~

Morning came quickly while Brave slept soundly beside the coachman as they rode over the long winding bridge separating the two countries. She had to stay up there as the carriage had very little room left and it wouldn't have been comfortable if she were to squeeze in.

A bump awoke her and the coachman looked at her apologetically. "Sorry about that..." He said as she yawned and covered her mouth, waiting for her brain to kick in, stretching and removing any aches from her slumber. "Did you sleep well?"

"As well as I could both sat up and on a wooden carriage..." Brave said, giving the coachman a small smile. "I thank you for this, after all, the capital is rather far from Tartaroo Valley..."

"Nah, no problem!" The coachman waved his hand dismissively as the finally got over the bridge. "After all, how else do you plan on getting to-"

Suddenly something exploded nearby and the entire carriage shook, resulting in Brave gripping her seat for dear life in the fear of falling off. "That's...!"

She looked up at the coachman's shock to see a familiar landship coming towards her. "Oh crap!" She gasped as the landship shot at a car driving in their direction.

_Their_ direction.

This was either going to end really well, or really, really badly.

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**A/N: What do you think? I myself wish Brave wasn't so emotionless in my eyes, however I am still testing her personality changes and I promise she will have more life in later chapters.**

**Please review, all comments and advice are appreciated and welcome! Also, with this being a rewrite of Alternate Times, I want to know if it's improved compared to the original.**

**Thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2: Sacred Beast Woods

**Chapter 2 - Sacred Beast Woods**

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**A/N: I do not own Tales of the Abyss!**

**I do however own Brave Moon and any other OC's mentioned in this fic!**

**Please ask permission before using them!**

**Alright, I know it's been a couple of days, but this chapter was REALLY long and there are even LONGER chapters to come, so please be patient!**

**WARNING: Monsters deaths and broken Liger Cub eggs in this chapter!**

**This chapter is long, so please make sure you have time to read it!**

**Enjoy!**

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Brave cursed to herself again and again as she watched the car swerve away from the landship's ammunition, which left small craters behind with each blast.

'Dammit! If they find me, I'm dead!' Brave thought to herself as she held onto the wooden bench she and the coachman were currently on, the vibrations causing tremors to wrack and shake the carriage they currently occupied along with Luke, Tear and two other customers.

Suddenly a deep, authoritative voice echoed through the air. "_To the coach there, out of the way! You'll be caught in the crossfire!_"

The coachman gasped and pulled the reins, forcing the horses to turn and run out of the way as the driver came to a stop and watched the land ship chasing the small black car.

Brave jumped off the top bench and landed, running around the carriage just as Luke and Tear left the small wooden vehicle. "Awesome, what's that?!" Luke asked, seeing the large land ship.

Brave cursed softly and saw the symbol on the side. "Trouble..." She stated, then looked up as the coachman explained the situation. "The army's chasing those bandits!"

"Bandits?" Luke asked as the coachman jumped off the bench and landed beside them. "Remember, the ones I mistook you for? The Dark Wings!"

"So that black vehicle...?"

"Is the Dark Wings!"

Brave growled and crossed her arms, now relaxing as the land ship passed enough so they couldn't see the carriage anymore.

However she gasped and stepped forward as the car dropped some sort of cans on the bridge. "Crap! Guys, we have to get across that bridge, otherwise-"

Suddenly an explosion sounded and the lot of them covered their eyes as debris flew in their direction, small rocks hitting their shielded faces and arms.

When they could finally look back, Brave's blood froze in her veins. The last of the bridge fell into the ocean and nothing but the two connecting parts remained.

"Son of a-" She growled and began pacing, running her fingers through her fringe as she tried to calm herself, swearing wasn't going to bring the bridge back, and in no way was she staying here any longer.

"That's...!"

Brave hummed at Tear's gasp and looked up, her eyes hardening as she realized the other members of their temporary group had spotted the symbol on the side of the land ship.

"The Malkuth Military's newest land dreadnought, the Tartarus!" The coachman said with pride, obviously a member of the Malkuth Kingdom.

"M-Malkuth Military?!" Luke asked with panic, the last place in the world he wanted to be right now was in Malkuth. Brave cursed over and over, earning a scolding from Tear, who was a follower of the Score and was against such foul language.

"Shut it, Tear!" Brave snapped, not caring as Tear stepped back in shock. "This is bad, alright?! That was Rotelro Bridge! We're _stuck_ in Malkuth right now and it's all your fault!"

"I-I'm sorry..." Tear breathed, looking down with honest-to-God regret. Brave sighed and ran her fingers through her fringe, covering her face in a face palm gesture as she did so. She lashed out without concern for Tear's feelings, she knew she had wronged, but she was too proud to take it back.

"Doesn't matter..." She grumbled, turning to the coachman. "So we're heading to the Malkuth Capital then?" She asked, crossing her arms. "I assume that would be Grand Chokmah?"

"Yes, the home of His Majesty Emperor Peony the Ninth!"

"I was mistaken..." Tear breathed and Brave cursed and paced once more, she was far more on edge than Luke had ever seen her, why was being in Malkuth such a nervewracking thing for her?

"Look, there's no use thinking about it now, nothing we say is bringing that bridge back!" Brave told them as Luke yelled at Tear. "We might as well stop off at the nearest town and rest, after all, I'm pretty sure we could all use a little break, it has been a strange and annoying couple of hours..."

"The nearest town is Engeve, do you want me to drop you off there?" The coachman asked and Tear's eyes narrowed as she was the only one who noticed the small spasm in Brave's muscles and the twitch in her eye.

"Y-yes...Engeve will do nicely..." Brave mumbled, climbing up onto the driver's bench as Luke and Tear climbed back into the carriage and the coachman joined Brave on the top.

"Alright, Engeve it is!" Then he cracked the reins and the horses began moving once more, towards the small town Brave felt such unease for.

What was she hiding?

~TotA~

The ride was smooth all the way to Engeve and both Luke and Tear left the carriage once it stopped. Brave didn't move for a moment before she sighed and jumped off the top bench, walking around the coach to meet up with the two teenagers.

"Do you really want to get off here?" The coachman asked and Brave scoffed, crossing her arms. 'This is the last place I wanted to go...' She thought as Tear gave the coachman a solid 'yes' along with an explanation.

'No turning back now...' Brave thought to herself, looking at the village before her, a small, unnoticed smile on her face as she inhaled the clean country air.

Of course the calming peace was disturbed when Luke spoke, the carriage now out of sight. "What do you mean, we're in the Malkuth Empire?!"

"It appears we were blown this far away..." Tear explained, her voice cold, she was a true soldier it seemed, she even pulled a map from behind her ear, even Brave didn't carry a map.

Maybe she should get one of those. It would be REALLY useful if this were to happen again. Which she dear God hoped it wouldn't.

The white haired Swords Master walked over to Tear as she opened the map and pointed to the town they currently occupied. "This is Engeve...The Rotelro Bridge from earlier just got destroyed, So our only choice would be to cross the border by sea..." She explained this while gesturing with her finger what she meant, explaining things to Luke in detail, so he wouldn't get confused.

"Darn it, we have to walk again?" Luke asked, whining as he linked his fingers behind his head. Brave was no longer paying attention as Luke looked at her, noticing that she kept staring at the town without any emotion on her features. He looked at the village and spoke without a care. "That's a small village..."

"Compared to Baticul it is..." Brave said, walking into the town, getting odd looks from both Luke and Tear as she ignored them and tried to hide her face from any passerby's.

What was going on?

Brave looked at all the different buildings and crops and livestock as she passed them, a small smile on her features. "It's been too long..." She said to herself, quiet enough to be the only one who heard.

"What the heck is this?" Luke asked and she hummed, turning just in time to see a Rappig snort in the young master's face, making her chuckle and place her hand on her hip. "What the hell are you doing?!" The boy asked the pig, as if waiting for a reply.

"Master Luke, I must inform you that Rappigs cannot speak our language..." She said, crossing her arms with a smirk. "Unless you have been hiding the fact that you're part Rappig...It would explain why your room is like a pig sty!"

Luke turned and glared at her. "Hey, hey! That was once, and it wasn't a 'pig sty' it was just...Creatively clean!"

This made Brave burst into a fit of humored laughter and Luke huff and cross his arms like a pouty child. She was not funny. "I'm sorry, Master Luke...I've just never heard anyone use such a 'creative' excuse!" She said, laughing in between sentences. "Anyway, Engeve is famous for it's crops and livestock...We should stock up on supplies before we leave tomorrow!"

"'Stock up?'" Luke asked, entwining his fingers behind his head. "How do we do that?" Tear's face was priceless as Brave pointed ahead of her. "Just down the road should be a market, we can get everything we need there! Healing Gels and Herbs that can stop physical ailments, like poison and paralysis! It's the best place to stock up on food also, due to this towns large variety of goods!"

"How come you know so much about Engeve?" Tear asked and Brave's eyes sharpened and turned cold once more, as if angered by Tear's question.

"I read, I'm not some farm animal, I have been to school..." Brave said strongly, crossing her arms and turning, walking further down the path before she stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Are you coming, or not?"

Luke shrugged and walked towards Brave, waiting for Tear who glared at Brave with suspicion, before she sighed and followed them, walking towards the market they could hear in the distance.

They arrived rather soon and Brave cursed as several people stared at her with curiosity, as if trying to recall where they know her from.

Tear's eyes narrowed as she noticed Brave ducking her head with a cough, trying to avoid looking anyone directly in the eyes.

"So, where should we start?" Tear asked, getting the older Swords Master's attention. "Hm? Oh right!" She said, opening her medicine pouch and pulling out a very small sack of Gald.

How much did she get paid?!

"I only have enough for a small amount of supplies..." Brave said, counting her Gald. "I want you all to look for affordable food, I'll get us some of those Gels I was talking about!"

Tear nodded and just as Luke was about to complain, she walked away, towards some of the medicine stalls. Luke sighed and entwined his hands behind his head. "Honestly, she's supposed to be protecting me..."

"She has a life too, let's leave her to her shopping..." Tear said, noticing how Luke was looking excitedly at everything. "Oh, these look good..." He said, walking over to some ripe red apples at a stall.

"How about some? They're sweet and delicious!" The shall owner said as Luke picked up the apple and saw the symbol on the front. "Engeve's apples are the best in the world!"

"Sure, I'll take one!" He said, turning and walking away, biting cheerfully into the apple. Both Tear and the stall owner's faces were priceless. "Ah sir! You forgot to pay!" He said, coming to his senses.

Luke turned and took another bite of the apple. "Why do I have to pay?" He asked obnoxiously.

"What was that?!"

"You can get your payment at the manor later!"

"Don't mess with me, you thief!" The stall owner roared and a few stalls away Brave hummed and turned, a small bag in hand as she just finished paying for the items.

When she saw everyone surrounding Luke, she cursed. "Thank you!" She told the stall owner, who blinked in shock as she ran over just in time to see the guys begin to drag Luke away. "Alright, what's going on?!" She asked as she and Tear followed them.

"Luke refused to pay for an apple..." Tear said, a look of pure shock and confusion on her features. "It's like he's never shopped before..."

"That's because he hasn't..." Brave explained, groaning and running her fingers through her fringe. "After I went to all this trouble not to be noticed..."

"What?"

Brave flushed and looked away with her eyes closed. She hadn't meant for Tear to hear that bit. "N-nothing, let's just sort this mess out..."

Tear was really suspicious now. Why didn't Brave want to be seen, why was she hiding and why did she seem so jittery when the Malkuth Military passed the coach?

It just didn't make sense!

~TotA~

"My, my..." A larger woman with brown hair said with a kind smile as she placed a cup of tea in front of her guest. "I'm sorry for having you come all the way here..."

Suddenly the door burst open and she hummed, turning to see five of her stall owners dragging a young man by his long red hair. "Rose, we've got trouble!"

"Hush! I have an important guest from the military here! Keep it down!" Rose scolded, glaring at the men before her. Tear however was more curious about the fact that Brave was currently pressed against the outside wall, as not to be seen.

A woman in the crowd, with long white hair hummed when she noticed this and gasped when she got a clear look at Brave's face. It couldn't be!

Could it?

"It's the food thief!" The stall owner with the apples said, glaring down at Luke, who was unable to move due to both the restraint of the men and the hand grabbing his hair. "He might be a member of the Dark Wings!"

"Let me go!" Luke roared, trying to get out of their grip, only to stop when it made his head hurt at the force of his hair being pulled.

"Huh? This kid?" Rose asked, looking at the boy with disbelief, her eyebrow quirked curiously. Brave felt a bead of sweat slide down her forehead as she glanced inside, cursing when she noticed the Military man sitting at the table, taking a sip of his tea with a smile.

"He took from my shop without paying!" The stall owner explained as Brave hid herself once more, luckily everyone was preoccupied with the situation at hand to notice.

All but that one woman with white hair.

"It told you that's-!" Luke started, but was interrupted by a cheerful, yet authoritative voice. "Gentleman, calm down!" He said and Brave hummed, looking in to see the Military man stand up and walk towards them. "I understand the problem...If he really is with the Dark Wings, I will be responsible for his interrogation!"

The men pushed Luke forward and he straightened up, glaring at the man before him as Brave gave him a once over. He had long brown hair going to his mid-back and a pair of scarlet red eyes concealed behind intelligent frame-less glasses.

"And who are you?" Luke asked, his voice showing how naive he was and how spoiled he had become over the years.

"I am from the Malkuth Imperial Forces, Third Division, Colonel Jade Curtiss..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose before narrowing his eyes at the boy before him. "And you are?"

"I'm Luke! Luke Fon-" Suddenly a hand covered Luke's mouth and Tear dragged him back, making the Colonel blink, his teeth locked together with curiosity, while Brave face-palmed.

Like that wasn't suspicious.

"Have you forgotten?" Tear asked almost unheard even by the boy she had silenced. "We're in enemy territory...If you reveal who you are, you won't get off that easily..."

Tear let go of Luke and stepped forward. "We were on our way to Chesedonia, but we accidentally took the wrong coach and wound up here...Also, the Dark Wings have been chased off by the Malkuth Military to the other side of Rotelro Bridge..."

"Ah, I see!" Jade said with a bright voice, stroking his chin with his index finger and thumb as he thought back. "You two were riding that coach I ran into earlier!"

"Crap!" Brave seethed, inhaling sharply when she had cursed a little too loudly. Jade hummed and blinked, then smirked and spoke with a little more authority than before. "I see you have another friend, I believe we haven't properly introduced her yet..."

Brave could run? She could just high-tail it out of there and get on the nearest coach to whatever city she could find. However she knew it wouldn't make a difference and sighed, stepping out from behind the door and glaring at the Colonel before her.

"Brave Moon..." She said coldly, hearing a gasp in the crowd and turning, her eyes widening when she saw someone she had dreaded running into since she had arrived.

'Oh God, not now!'

Jade's eyes shined and he placed his hands behind his back. "It's a pleasure to meet you..." He said, bowing his head curtly.

Brave gripped the helm of her sword, feeling her panic and anger rise. She needed to get out of the situation and fast. Her panic was rising slowly as he continued to assess her with his scarlet red eyes.

"What is this about, Colonel?" Rose asked, turning to Jade and looking up at his taller form.

Thank the God above for Rose!

"Just as she said..." Jade informed Rose, having referred to Tear. "What looked to be the Dark Wings had escaped to Kimlascan Territory..."

"Besides, it seems that the food thieves aren't Human..."

Everyone in the room turned and both Brave and Tear gasped at who they saw, in front of them was a young teen with short green hair and green eyes, a scepter in hand with the symbol of Lorelei on it.

"Fon Master Ion..." Jade said as the boy stood before them, his face soft, but serious. "I've investigated the food storehouse..." The young Fon Master said, walking in and towards Rose. "I found this in the corner of the room..." He placed a small tuft of cream fur into the woman's hand.

"This is fur from a sacred Cheagle..." Rose said, sighing as she looked down at the fur.

"Yes...it was probably a Cheagle that raided your storehouses..."

"There, you see!" Luke barked with a spoiled expression and an obnoxious tone. Brave was becoming irritated with her student's behavior. "I told you it wasn't me!"

"Alright, alright, alright!" Rose called out, clapping her hands together each time she repeated herself. "Now we know the truth, get back to work everyone!"

"Yeah, that's right..." The stall owner with the apples said, turning to leave, however Tear stopped him and placed money in his hand. "It's for the apple, please forgive us!" She turned to the young master. "Luke, you apologize as well!"

"Why should I?"

"Because your Swords Master said so!" Brave barked, turning to her student with her hands on her hips, the woman with white hair stopped and turned to look at Brave, certain now. "Even if you're innocent for the storehouse incident, you still took an apple without paying, apologize at once!"

"No way!"

Brave growled and was about to shout when the store owner interrupted her. "Ah, it's fine!" He said, smiling at them as he closed his fist over the Gald. "I was at fault too! Later!" Then he turned and left and Brave glared at her student.

"Excuse me?"

Brave hummed and turned to see a woman stood before her, she had long white hair going down to her thighs and emerald green eyes. "Are you...Brave?"

Brave swallowed hard and looked down. "Yeah..." She said, as if being scolded. Both Luke and Tear blinked twice with confusion.

"Oh my, where have you been?!" The woman gasped, pulling Brave in for a hug and shocking the young Swords Master. "I was worried sick!"

"Excuse me..." Tear said, stepping forward with her hand on her chest. "My name is Tear...Might I ask who you are?"

The woman hummed and then smiled kindly, letting go of Brave and turning to the young soldier. "I'm sorry, I got carried away! I am Leanna Moon!"

"M-Moon?!" Both Tear and Luke gasped, stepping back.

Brave blushed and rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah...Guys, this is my mother..." She informed them and Luke went crazy.

"You told me you were from Chesedonia!" He roared and Brave's eyes hardened, her hands on her hips. "Now you're saying you're from Engeve?!"

"Brave dear...Why have you been lying to your friends?" Leanna asked, turning to her daughter who forced a small blush off her cheeks.

"I-I have my reasons!"

Leanna's face turned to realization and she smiled kindly, letting that conversation slide. "Well, we can discuss that later, your father is in town and he would be so happy to see his little girl again!"

"Mother, I'm not little anymore!" Brave barked, she hated this, she wasn't usually this open with people and her mother wasn't really the type to spare Brave's blushes.

"Why so formal, that's not like you!"

"Mother!"

Luke blinked. Brave was always formal, why had her mother said otherwise?

"Alright, alright!" Leanna laughed, smiling at her daughter as she turned to leave. "Stop by a little later, I'll tell your father you're in town!"

"Okay!" Brave held her hand up in a wave and Leanna turned, leaving the house with a swish of her long hair. Brave sighed and dropped her hand. "Just like Mother, she doesn't give you a choice..."

"I can't believe you lied to me!" Luke barked, glaring at her with a pout on his lips. Brave's cold glare is what met him and he shrank back slightly.

"Everyone has the right to keep secrets, Master Luke..." She said, placing her hands on her hips and glancing back at the Fon Master with a curious gleam in those angered lilac orbs.

"Whatever!" Luke grumbled, turning and leaving the house, Tear and Brave following behind. The Colonel hummed and looked away from Ion for a moment to watch them leave, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Why do these things happen to me?" Luke asked, his hands entwined behind his head as Brave and Tear followed behind, a little distance from Rose's house now.

"Why is Fon Master Ion here...?" Tear asked, stroking her chin as she contemplated his appearance. Brave nodded, curious about the same thing.

"Fon Master Ion?" Luke asked as he dropped his hands and turned to face them, causing them to stop.

"Remember? Commandant Van, Duke Fabre and Duchess Fabre mentioned him before..." Brave said, waking Luke's memory. "He's the Fon Master for the Order of Lorelei, the highest authority there!"

Luke hummed and scratched his head before resting his fingers on his chin. "Hold on a sec...I'm sure I heard Ion had gone missing..."

"What could this mean?" Tear asked, looking back at the house. "It didn't look like he was kidnapped..."

"Master Ion!"

The three of them jumped and turned to see a girl running around, obviously searching for someone, with a look of panic on her face. "Honestly, where could Master Ion have run off to?"

"Excuse me?" Brave asked, walking up to the girl as she hummed and looked up at her. This child looked to be about thirteen with brown hair tied into two pigtails and innocent brown eyes. "Are you looking for Fon Master Ion?"

Yeah, have you seen him?" The girl asked.

"Yes, are you his Fon Master Guardian?"

"Yep, I am! Do you know where he is?"

Brave pointed her thumb at her house and the girl was gone, running as fast as she could, Luke trying to shout for her to stop, but she didn't hear him.

"We could have asked her..." The young master said, straightening up with a frown. "But what is it, this Fon Master-something?"

"Fon Master Guardians are a special force of the Oracle Knights who serve as a personal guard for the Fon Master..." Tear explained as Brave looked down the hill, spotting her mother as she just closed up shop. "If she's accompanying him, that means his journey is officially recognized by the Order..."

"Then what was with that info about him being missing?" Luke asked, stroking his red hair at the base of his skull.

Brave sighed, if she didn't return home soon, her mother and father were going to throw a fit. "Come on, Mother and Father would never forgive me if I don't drop by before we leave tomorrow..." She said, walking down the cliff, towards the small cottage in the distance.

"Your mother seems nice..." Tear said as they walked with her. Brave rolled her eyes. "Compared to me, of course she is..." She said, looking up at the sky with a small smile. "When I got in trouble though, she was anything but nice..."

Luke blinked, how was that a good thing? Tear was smiling too, as if knowing why Brave spoke with such nostalgia. "You must miss it here..."

Brave's face hardened and she glared at the young woman. "Keep your comments to yourself!" She snarled, picking up the pace and getting odd looks from Tear and a sigh from Luke, who had heard her cold remarks before.

"What did I say?" Tear asked and Luke shrugged. "Leave her, she gets like that sometimes...She's a cold person, she won't even let me see her smile..."

Tear stared after the older woman with a hum. Why was Brave so cold?

~TotA~

Leanna stood in the living room of a small, sweet cottage, washing the dishes she had left out all night, due to her busy schedule.

"Would you like some help, Love?"

Leanna hummed and turned her head to see her husband walking towards her, his hair spiky and copper in color and his eyes a lighter lilac than Brave's.

"No, that's alright, Dear! You go on ahead and finish your deliveries!"

"Already done! I can't wait to see our little girl again!" The man said, grinning brightly. Leanna chuckled and turned back to the dishes, thinking of their daughter. "Has she changed, Love?"

"What do you mean?" Leanna asked, looking back at the man as he sat down at the dining room table, talking to his beloved wife.

"Well, last time we saw her...She was still..." The man stopped and looked down, his frown evident and Leanna sighed.

"No, in that regard she hasn't changed at all..." Leanna admitted, staring down at the dirty plate in front of her. "However she's much stronger!" A smile lit up her features. "She's even independent, Dear! Oh and just as cold as ever..."

"Somethings never change..." The man sighed and ran his fingers through his fringe. A knock echoed on the front door and Leanna's husband grinned, standing up. "That's her now!"

"Now Dear, don't get overexcited!" Leanna laughed as her husband bounded towards the door and opened up, shocking Brave who had raised her hand to knock again.

"Well if it isn't my little flower!" The man said, smiling down at his daughter who blushed and cleared her throat, already feeling humiliated and they weren't even in the house yet.

"Hello again, Father..." She said, making the man blink at her formality, then he looked behind her. "Who's your friends?" He asked.

"Luke Fon Fabre..." Luke said, crossing his arms as the man smiled and bowed, respect in his form. "This is Tear..." Luke pointed his thumb at the young woman, who glared at him for his bored tone.

"It's an honor to meet you, Master Fabre..." The man said, glancing at his wife, who blinked back shock. How had she not seen that?! "I'm Intos Moon, delivery man and temporary Engeve Guardian, the current guardian is away on business, and this is my beautiful wife Leanna Moon!"

"Nice to meet you..." Tear said with a bright smile and Brave walked into the house, looking around. "Nothing's changed..." She sighed, smiling at the wooden surroundings. She loved how comforting this house felt.

Luke and Tear entered the house and Intos walked over to his former seat, dropping down and letting his arm hang off the back. "So, how was Baticul, V-"

"Brave..." Brave interjected quickly, making Luke narrow his eyes with suspicion. What was Intos about to call her before she cut in? Was Brave not her real name?

"Brave?" Intos asked and Brave cleared her throat, sending him a look he understood instantly. "Oh...Well, how was Baticul, Brave?"

"It was beautiful!" She said, sitting down, Luke and Tear were almost shocked at her openness in front of her parents. "Oh Father you would have loved it!"

Leanna sighed and finished the dishes, walking over and sitting down beside Intos. "I remember Baticul..." She said, smiling fondly as she looked at her daughter.

"You went to Baticul?" Luke asked as he and Tear sat down beside Brave.

"Yeah...I was born in Baticul, before I was recruited into the Oracle Knights! I was actually very good friends with His Majesty, Ingobert the Sixth!"

"Awesome!"

Leanna smiled kindly and Tear blinked. "You were an Oracle Knight?"

"Yes! Actually it was because of the Oracle Knights that I met your father, Brave..." She said, leaning closer to Intos, who smiled down at his wife and pressed a kiss to her hair. "I was on a mission for Grand Maestro Mohs when I bumped into him...We've been in love ever since..."

Brave rolled her eyes and Intos chuckled, standing up. "Alright, I think it's time for dinner! Who's hungry?"

Luke's hand shot up and everyone aside from Brave laughed.

~TotA~

Brave waved at Luke and Tear as they left the house. She would have gone with them if her mother and father hadn't insisted that she stay over for the night.

"Well then, now we can talk properly..." Leanna said, sitting at the table with her cup of tea as Intos did the washing. "Brave, we need you to go to Cheagle Woods..."

"Hm? How come?" Brave asked, sitting at the table and retaking her tea, sipping it softly.

"The Cheagles have been acting strange..." Intos said, looking back at them as he placed a clean plate on the counter. "You're the only one they actually trust and when I tried to speak to them, Leanna had to treat several burns..."

Brave gasped, worried for her father, but his kind smile quenched her fears. "It's alright, they weren't anything serious!" He said, cleaning another plate. "Just some burns that will fade eventually! It's your job to investigate this..."

The ice haired Swords Master nodded and nursed her tea, staring down into the liquid. "The Cheagles are responsible for the storehouse, correct?" She asked and Leanna nodded. "Alright, I'll see to it tomorrow before I leave..."

"That brings us to our next question..." Intos said, the 'protective father' seeping into his voice. "Where have you been for seven years? We know you had to train Master Fabre, but that doesn't mean you couldn't visit!"

"I..." Brave looked away with a frown and Leanna caught the look in her eyes. She knew that look, she knew that look very well. "I had some issues to deal with..."

Brave stood up with a small smile and bowed to her parents before she walked into her room, closing the door behind her. "Is it me, or is she lying to us?" Intos asked and Leanna nodded, staring at the bedroom door with a frown.

"I think I know why she didn't come home..."

~TotA~

"There's no way we could capture a wild animal in this forest!" Tear told the young master as he walked ahead, getting angered glares from Brave, who had just learned of his intentions.

"I won't let you take the Cheagles back to Engeve!" Brave barked, clenching her fists. "These creatures must have some reason for doing this, who are we to judge them?"

"They're just beasts!"

"They're not just beasts! They have a heart and soul, just like Humans do! Do not think so ill of them!"

"I don't care what you say! I won't be satisfied until I get one!" The spoiled young master said as they climbed up a large tree root.

Suddenly Luke gasped and ran forward, pointing into a clearing. "Hey look! Isn't he that Ion kid?"

Brave and Tear looked into the clearing and found that Luke was correct, stood in the clearing, surrounded by Ligers, was the young Fon Master himself.

"Damn them!" Brave hissed, pulling out her sword just as a Liger lunged for him and Tear shouted in panic.

However they didn't have time to worry as Ion lifted his hand into the air and slammed it off the ground, covering the ground in a strange Fonic Glyph and turning the Ligers into nothing but atoms as the power tore them apart.

The three of them stared at Ion in shock before he collapsed to his knees and they gasped, all running from the root and out into the clearing.

"Hey are you alright?!" Luke asked as the boy got to his knees, panting as his Fonons had drained considerably. "I-I'm okay..." The Fon Master gasped out. "I just used an overly strong Daathic Fonic Arte..."

"Here..." Tear said, holding out her hand. Ion took it and rose to his feet with a 'thank you' for their help. Then he blinked and recognized them. "Ah, you three were in Engeve yesterday!"

"I'm Luke!" Luke said, stepping forward with a smile.

"Luke, that means 'Light of the Sacred Flame' in Ancient Ispanian, doesn't it?" Ion asked and Brave looked around for any more monsters, doubting it as any form of Mystic, or strong Fonic Arte usually scared them off for a while. "It's a nice name!"

"R-really?" Luke asked with a blush, looking away with embarrassment as Tear stepped forward and put her hand on her chest with a smile. "I'm from the First Platoon, Oracle Knights Intelligence Division, under Grand Maestro Mohs, Locrian Sergeant Tear Grants!"

"Are you Van's sister?" Ion asked, turning to Tear. "I've heard about you!"

Luke hummed then let out a noise of shock and gave Tear a look to match. "You're Master's sister?! Then why are you after his life?"

Tear looked away without answering and Ion turned to her again, having looked at Luke during his shock. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Ah, no, this is between us-" Tear tried to explain, but Luke cut her off. "Don't avoid the question!"

"Guys just shut up!" Brave barked, glaring at the pair of them with her hands on her hips. "Alright, Tear doesn't want to explain, so don't force her and Luke, demanding with that tone gets you no where, at least Fon Master Ion was polite in his question, you on the other hand, need to learn manners!"

Luke huffed and looked away with his arms crossed and just as Brave was about to scold him again, Ion stepped in front of her, attracting her attention for the moment.

"You're very responsible!" Ion said brightly, smiling with a kindness not many people had. "You must be an excellent soldier!"

"I-I'm not a soldier..." Brave said, staring at the boy with a look of shock, she had been scolding Luke just moments ago and he was _praising_ her?! "I'm Brave Moon, I live in Engeve and was paying a quick visit there..."

"'Brave?' I've never heard of that name before, it's not part of Ancient Ispanian, is it?"

"No, it's a more modern name..." Brave said, bowing with no smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Fon Master..."

Suddenly a rustling her heard and they all turned to see the most adorable creature hiding and looking at them with a playful smile. "So cute!" Brave gasped softly, earning a look from Luke. Brave had a soft spot for cute things?!

"What's that thing?" Luke asked, pushing that thought aside for later, right now the Cheagles took priority.

"It's a Cheagle..." Ion informed the young master.

"That little..." Luke snarled, running after the creature as it fled from the angered teenager. "I've finally found you! Just you wait...!"

Brave sighed and planted one of her hands onto her hip, the other holding the helm of her sword. Ion turned to Tear. "Would it be better not to inquire about Van?" He asked.

"I'm sorry, it relates to my hometown..." Tear explained, looking down with sorrow. Brave knew that look, and she actually felt pity for the young woman. Brave huffed and pushed that small feeling back, jogging to catch up to Luke.

Tear and Ion both shared a look and followed behind.

"Damn..." Luke grumbled as Brave walked up behind him, looking around for the Cheagle he had been chasing. "Where did it go?"

"What's wrong?" Tear asked as she and Fon Master Ion walked up to them.

"I lost it!"

"Their home should be further this way!" Ion said, pointing in that general direction with his staff, aware that Brave had started walking in that direction just moments before he spoke.

"You seem to know a lot about them..." Luke said, turning to face Ion.

"Cheagles are sacred to the Order of Lorelei...That's why I would like to know what drives them to do such things!" Ion said, his eyes holding a determination that just proved that his boy was both strong and kind at the same time.

"So our goal is the same..." Luke sighed. "Then I guess there's no other way, come with us!"

"Thank you very much, Sir Luke! You are very kind!" Ion said happily, hearing a boom of laughter further down the log, which made Luke glare at Brave who was holding her stomach, tears in her eyes as she coughed, having choked on said laughter.

"Oh that's priceless!" Brave called out, regaining her breathing. "We have to hurry _Sir_ Luke!"

"Sh-shut up!" Luke barked, before storming down the log, glaring ahead. "Wh-who is kind? Stop talking nonsense and let's go!"

Then he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Also, you can drop the titles...It's already annoying when Brave does it..."

"Yes, Luke!"

~TotA~

Brave stopped in front of an impossibly tall tree with a gaping hole leading inside the trunk, a frown on her face as she watched Luke pick up an Engeve apple.

"So it's here..." Luke said, looking at the tree as Brave cursed and all but marched inside, she had to get to the bottom of this and soon.

Brave stood in the middle of a pillar of light caused by the small opening in the top of the tree, her friends joining her. "I'm back!" She shouted out, knowing they would recognize her instantly.

Suddenly hundreds of tiny red lights began to shine and Luke, Tear and Ion became unnerved by them. "Mieu, mieu!" One of the shadowed figured barked, making Luke step back in shock.

"Wh-what the...?"

Their eyes adjusted and they saw hundreds of Cheagles growling and barking at them, causing Tear to have a cuteness overload and Brave to show a rare smile.

"Hey guys..." She said, stepping forward and crouching down, all the nearby Cheagles pounced on her and she chuckled, petting each of them in turn. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"

Ion stepped forward as Brave stood up, addressing the Cheagles. "Please let us through, we wish to speak with the elder!"

"You think the monsters can understand you?" Luke asked, annoyed by this boy's question.

"Legend has it that Yulia, the founder of the Order, made a pact with Cheagles and received their help..." Ion explained. "Surely-"

"Are you related to Yulia Jue?"

All four of them hummed and turned to see an elderly purple Cheagle walking towards them, holding some strange ring. "It really spoke!" Luke gasped, shocked by this new development.

"This is the power of the ring we received from Yulia when the pact was formed..."

Brave's smile became wider and she stepped forward, crouching down in front of her old friend. "It's good to see you, Elder..." She said, holding out her index finger. "You haven't changed at all in the eight years I've been gone..."

"Ah V-"

"Brave..."

"Ho?" The Elder noticed the almost pleading look in Brave's eyes and he nodded, his smile hidden by the fur covering his mouth as he took her finger in both his tiny paws and held it. "Brave, it's been too long...You've aged!"

Brave laughed and Luke blinked with shock, Brave genuinely laughed, not a chuckle, not a teasing laugh, but a genuine, honest-to-God, happy laugh. "Thank you, Elder! I was hoping no one noticed!"

"Have you been to see your parents yet?"

"Yes, that's why I'm here..."

The elder's hidden smile faded and he asked his question once more. "Are you related to Yulia Jue?"

Ion stepped forward. "Yes...I am Fon Master Ion, from the Order of Lorelei...Are you the Cheagle Elder?"

"Yes indeed..." The elder said as he let go of Brave's finger. Luke decided to start being demanding and Brave growled at his tone to her lifelong friends. "Hey, monster, you're the ones who stole the food from Engeve, right?"

"I see...So you came to exterminate us..." The elder said as some of the Cheagles began to shake and cling to one another in fear.

Brave gasped and stopped glaring holes into Luke's skull. "No! No Elder, I would never allow it!" She said, placing her hand on her chest. "I just came to ask why you did it, that's all!"

The Elder spoke with a solemn tone, trusting Brave with this information. "One of our members set fire to the northern region...As a result, a pack of Ligers who lived there moved to this forest in order to feed on us..."

"Then the reason you took the food from the village...?" Ion asked, leaving the question open for the elder to elaborate.

"We are giving them those in place of our members...There was no other way to save them..."

"That's..." Ion stopped, saddened by the story as Luke huffed and turned his head away with a spoiled look and his arms crossed. "It's no concern of mine! It's a known fact that weaklings are the ones who are eaten!"

"No!"

Luke hummed and turned his head back as Brave stood up and looked at him over her shoulder. The small warmth he had seen before melting into angered ice. "I will not allow the Cheagles to die at the hands of the Ligers!"

"You're very close to the Cheagles..." Ion said, and Brave hummed, looking at him, then glaring at him with a cold expression.

"I'm not close to anyone...I merely care for them as an act of duty!"

The elder would have been hurt by that remark if he hadn't known Brave long enough to know when she was lying. "Brave here has known us since she was three, her mother introduced her to us and she would often sneak out here to play..."

"Elder!" Brave gasped, her cheeks flaming. She cleared her throat and crossed her arms looking back at the others. "So, what now?"

"What, you say?" Luke said. "Take them to the village and-

"I already said no, Master Luke! I will not allow the villagers to kill these Cheagles, especially since they didn't have a choice!"

Luke huffed and looked away with a pout and Brave growled, her anger flaring for a moment before she pushed it down.

"If we do that, Engeve will be next for the Ligers to prey upon..." Tear explained and Brave's eyes narrowed, she wouldn't allow any harm to come of her hometown or the woods in which she played in as a child.

"I don't care what happens to that village!" Luke said obnoxiously and Brave's face melted into a snarl, she stepped forward to finally yell some sense at the young master when Ion's voice cut in.

"Let's negotiate with the Ligers..." He said and all of them looked at him as if he had sprouted an extra head. "What?! There's no way you would be able to speak with a monster!"

"It might be impossible for us, but we could bring a Cheagle with us as an interpreter!" Brave hummed and stroked her chin, then turned to the Elder, having considered Ion's words.

"Elder, do you have anyone here who would be willing to help us negotiate with the Ligers?" She asked, crouching down again.

"Yes, I shall lend my Sorcerer's Ring to that Cheagle!" The elder said, turning to the Cheagles. "Mieu, mieu, mieu, mieu, mieu, mieu!"

A small, light blue Cheagle walked out of the crowd, it's face a cream color instead of white and it's eyes large and purple. "This child is the one who caused the fire..." The elder explained, watching as the child's eyes saddened.

"That little one, how?" Tear asked and the elder spoke some words to the child. Not a second later did he breathe fire and Brave yelped, falling back onto her ass to avoid the flames. "I forgot Cheagles could breathe fire!" She gasped, getting to her feet and placing her hand on her hip. "But as such a young age..."

"Yes, we Cheagles can only breathe fire when we reach adulthood...This child has managed to do it as this young age...He wasn't able to control himself and set the forest on fire...Even if he is a child, he must take responsibility for his actions...I would like you to take him with you..."

The elder walked over to the child and helped him slip into the ring, watching as the child kicked off the ground and flew up to them. "It can fly?" Luke asked.

"This is probably another power of the Sorcerer's Ring..." Ion explained as the child stopped in front of them.

"My name is Mieu, nice to meet you!" Mieu said, his voice high and so adorable both Tear and Brave cooed at it. Brave however cleared her throat with a blush when Luke sent her a curious look.

"There's something very irritating about this thing..." Luke grumbled, the high voice of Mieu being what irked him so much.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Luke roared and ruffled his own hair with both annoyance and anger. "That way of talking is so annoying!" He grabbed the Cheagle and lifted his fist. "I'll show you, you little-"

He slammed his fist down and Brave laughed hard when a burst of strong fire shot from Mieu and covered her student's face. Luke growled and began to shake the young Cheagle.

"Luke, stop it!" Tear shouted and the young master stopped shaking the poor creature, allowing it's dizziness to pass as Brave pointed at Luke's charred face and tears filled her eyes. "Th-that's a good look for you!" She gasped out, holding her stomach. "Oh I'm getting cramp!"

"Would you shut up?!" Luke barked, but Brave couldn't calm her laughter, she actually fell to her knees at one point due to this.

"I-I wish Guy were here! Oh we'd have a field day with this!"

~TotA~

It took maybe an hour of roaming the forest, but the five of them stopped in front of a large hole, big enough for some monsters to squeeze through. "It's here, this is the Liger Queen's lair..." Mieu said, pointing at said hole.

"Hurry up and go in!" Luke ordered, punching the small Cheagle and causing it to tumble into the hole. Brave growled and stormed over to Luke. "Hey! Stop hurting him, what has he done to you?"

Luke glared back and huffed, walking in after the Cheagle, Brave mumbling cursives and insults as she followed behind, along with Tear and Ion, who were a little uncomfortable with this situation.

They entered a clearing and spotted a Liger about three times the size of a normal Liger and twice the size of an average human male.

"Damn, that's one big Liger!" Brave hissed, glancing at the eggs the Liger was protecting as she noticed them and started growling at them in warning.

"Mieu, could you try to speak with the Liger?" Ion asked and Mieu accepted the request, flying forward and speaking in the monster language to the Liger.

A roar was the reply and Mieu cried out, flying back over to them. "She said 'the eggs are about to hatch, so go away!'"

"This is bad!" Tear gasped, watching the Liger Queen as she stood over her eggs protectively. "Ligers guarding their eggs are more violent!"

"Her Highness is very angry because I burned her home down..." Mieu said, saddened by his grievous mistake. "Maybe we should come back later?" Luke asked, unsure of what to do.

"No..." Brave said, glaring at the Liger Queen. "If those eggs hatch, they will slaughter Engeve in search of Human flesh..." Her stomach churned. "I won't allow my home to be extinguished because of a mistake!"

"Then what should we do?" Luke asked and the Liger Queen stepped forward, her large paws causing the ground to shake and Mieu cried out in fear as a large log fell towards him.

Brave was about to react, but Luke beat her to it, slicing the log in half and landing in front of the young Cheagle. "Th-thank you!" He gasped, shocked by both his kindness and the log falling in the first place.

"Don't get me wrong, I was protecting Ion, not you!"

Brave could tell that was a lie, the log was a good ten feet from Ion, where Mieu had been standing. If Luke was trying to act tough, he was failing miserably.

A growl made them all turn their attention to the large Liger and Mieu gasped. "Oh no!"

"What is it?!" Brave asked, grabbing the helm of her sword and pulling it out, Mieu's tone told her that this wasn't going to end well.

"She said she'll kill us and give us to her children..."

"Dammit!" Brave seethed, allowing her Fonons to react with the sword, forcing it to glow a bright blue. "Looks like the negotiations were a failure! Luke, Tear, get ready!"

"Fon Master Ion, please stand back!" Tear told Ion as she ran forward along with Luke and the three of them stood side by side.

"Alright, if you get injured I have some Gels, but I could only afford three Apple Gels! If they get squashed or melt, they're useless! They must be eaten in their raw form!"

"When will we need them?" Luke asked as Brave glared at the Liger as it stepped away from the nest.

"When you're too injured to move! Apple Gels aren't powerful and if you're fatally injured, they will probably only lengthen your life by a short amount! If you let yourself get into that state, there's nothing we can do to help! Only when you're injured, not dying, you understand Master Luke?"

"Yes!" Luke said, nodding as both he and Tear trained their sights on the Liger.

"Dammit, I can't even use my Mystic Arte here!" She seethed, looking up at the small opening. "Not without setting this forest on fire and killing myself in the process!"

"'Killing yourself?'"

"The last time I used Cosmic Wave, it was dumb luck that I managed to survive it, if I use it again so soon after using it the first time, I'll die without any chance of recovery!"

Luke and Tear shared a look, but one roar from the Liger made them return to the upcoming fight. Suddenly the Liger swung it's paw at Luke and he was sent flying back, only just blocking the strong attack.

"Luke!" Brave shouted, dropping the titles for the moment as she growled and ran at the Liger, her sword glowing brighter. "Sonic Thrust!" She roared, jumping up and thrusting her sword into the Liger's back.

The Liger Queen cried out and clawed at her back, trying to get Brave off as she began tugging at her sword, cursing. She had dug it too far in, it wasn't coming out!

"Dammit!" Brave shouted, gasping and arching her back in agony as two of the Liger's claws dug deep into her flesh, causing her eyes to widen as she dropped from the creature, who kicked her into the wall just before she could collide with the ground.

"Brave!" Tear gasped as Brave slammed her back off the wall of the clearing and dropped onto her front, shaking with the pain she felt.

Tear turned back just in time to see the Liger swing at her and she raised a Fonic Barrier, albeit small, it was enough to block the attack.

"Damn!" Luke hissed, having recovered from the attack before, he ran up to the Liger and dove into the air, hitting it hard with his sword, only to be knocked back once more by the Liger's paw.

Brave raised her head with amazing difficulty, blood trickling down her lip from her landing as she heard a familiar voice and footsteps approach.

"I, who stand in the full light of the heavens..."

The Liger slammed it's paw again into Tear's shield and Tear gasped and stepped back as it shattered into fonons, fading from view.

"Command thee, who opens the gates of Hell..."

Brave gasped as she saw a familiar figure in her blurring vision, only seeing colors one minute and a clear figure the next.

"Come forth divine lighting!"

A scarlet red eye opened. "This ends now..." the figure shot his hand into the air and spoke with such authority, such power, that even Brave trembled in fear. "Indignation!"

A Fonic Glyph appeared beneath Jade's feet and Fonic Rings surrounded the Liger. "That's-" Brave gasped, quickly squeezing her eyes shut as a bright fork of lightning shot from the rings and hit the Liger, electrocuting it with a fierce amount of Fonons.

Brave watched in shock as the Liger shook on the spot for several moments after the rings faded before finally dropping to the ground, dead.

"Y-you killed it in one hit..." Brave gasped, pushing herself to her knees, her fingers digging into the soil below, too stunned to feel the pain pulsing through her bloody back. "You defeated the Liger Queen in one hit, when we were all helpless..."

"You're..." Tear gasped, turning to see a familiar face as Brave struggled to get to her feet. "Jade..." Ion said as the figure himself pushed his glasses up his nose and smiled at them.

"That arrogant bastard..." Brave seethed, staggering clumsily towards the Liger's corpse, she needed to receive her sword. "How could he master an arte like that?!"

The young girl from the day before popped out from behind Jade and ran towards the young Fon Master. "Master Ion!" She called out, stopping in front of him and taking his hand in both of her's. "I'm so happy you're safe!"

"Anise, I'm sorry for worrying you..." Ion said, smiling fondly at his young friend. "You should be!" Anise complained, frowning up at him. "I searched for you everywhere!"

Luke walked up to the corpse of the Liger, just as Brave fell to her knees before her sword, panting as she gripped the helm and tugged hard, still unable to shift it. "Son of a-" She cursed, glancing at the eggs before looking away, bile rising in her throat.

With Jade's Indignation, the eggs had smashed open, the Liger Cubs dead and their mother along with them. She had never felt such a loss even when having come out alive.

"This left me with a bad taste in my mouth..." Luke commented, having voiced Brave's thoughts as she continued to try and pull her sword out of the burned Liger's corpse.

"You are kind..." Tear said, walking over to Luke, noticing that Brave's skin was starting to become a little more pale. "Or maybe just soft..."

"What did you say, you cold-hearted witch?!" Luke snarled and Jade interjected with amusement in both his tone and his smile. "My, my, lover's quarrel, maybe?" He asked, earning a reaction from both Tear and Luke.

"Colonel Curtiss, we don't have that kind of relationship!" Tear gasped out, both of them having a small tint of red to their cheeks.

"I was just joking!" Jade said, not a hint of anything other than humor in his expression. He glanced at Brave who cursed again, using both hands this time as she tugged as hard as her failing strength would let her. "And please call me 'Jade,' family names are too formal!"

Ion stepped forward and spoke with an honest tone. "Jade, I'm sorry for acting on my own..." He said, and Jade's expression showed scolding.

"You used your power, didn't you, even though the doctor forbade you to?"

"I'm sorry..."

"Moreover, you've involved civilians..."

"Hey, he's apologizing, isn't he?" Luke cut in, glaring at the Colonel with annoyance. "Stop complaining and forgive him already, old man!"

"Oh!" Jade exclaimed, amused shock in his eyes. "And here I thought you would grumble about being involved! This is unexpected..."

"Anyway, let's get out of here..." Luke said, turning to Brave. "Hey, Brave, we're going!"

"Not..." She grunted, tugging with each word. "Without...My sword!" She fell back and stiffened when her back hit the ground and she arched up, cursing as she tried to avoid touching the dirt floor with her bloody and injured back. "Ahhhh crap!"

Jade chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose, walking past the two teens of the group and up to Brave, standing over her. "Brave, is it?" He asked, his hands behind his back as Brave forced herself to sit up and take a hold of the sword once more.

"What's it to you, Colonel?" She asked, not looking the military man in the eyes as she grunted and pulled at the sword, all put cheering as it shifted an inch.

"You are aware your back is severely injured, correct?"

"No sh-" She hissed and tried to cut down on her foul language. "Yes, I am aware, why are you asking?"

Jade chuckled and smiled irritatingly as Brave cried out, the sword suddenly slipping out and causing her to slam her back hard into the ground, a resonating cry filling the clearing as she rolled onto her side and curled into a ball.

"Ah dammit to hell!" She cried out, her sword still skittering away from her. "Having trouble?" He asked, amused by her anger.

"Isn't it your job to help people?!" She barked, pushing herself up and opening her medicine pouch with shakey hands. She pulled out an Apple Gel and slipped it between her lips, sighing when the relief hit and the injury lessened, some of the skin knitting back together.

"It seems you've got it covered..." Jade commented, walking over to her sword and picking it up, weighing the weapon in his hand. "This is a rather fine sword..."

He didn't even flinch as Brave snatched the sword back and placed it into her sheath, glaring holes into the older man's skull. "Don't touch my things without permission..."

"I was merely helping you..." Jade explained, chuckling as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "After all, it's what you asked me to do, is it not?"

"I have a feeling you're going to be difficult..." She growled, turning and walking towards Luke and Tear. "Come on, it'd be best if we reported back to the elder as soon as we can..."

Luke and the others nodded, walking towards the exit to the clearing. "Master Ion! Please wait!" Anise called, running to catch up to them.

"Anise!" Jade called and Anise stopped, turning to see the Colonel gesturing for her to come over. She smiled and back tracked until she was at his side.

Brave glanced behind her as Jade whispered something into her ear and she nodded, running off. Jade looked up with suspicious eyes and both lilac and scarlet locked, neither of them moving for several seconds.

'I don't trust that man...' She thought, her eyes narrowing before she turned with a small sway of her short hair and continued walking, Jade following behind with one hand on his hip and the other by his side, swaying slightly with his movements.

~TotA~

Both Brave and Tear cooed as Mieu explained what had happened to the Cheagle elder, pointing at them as he spoke.

"We are grateful you have kept your promise, even after two thousand years..." The elder said, his smile hidden as Brave nodded with a small smile of her own, she couldn't be cold around them, they had always been her friend.

"Aiding the Cheagles is part of Yulia's teachings..." Ion explained, his own smile shining as he felt honored to have helped. "It's only natural!"

"But the origin of the problem was Mieu causing the fire in the Ligers' home..." The elder said, his tone solemn. "I hereby banish Mieu from the Cheagle tribe!"

"Elder!" Brave gasped, shocked as Mieu had a look of pure sadness on his face, almost in tears with the elder's words. "Please, don't be so severe!"

"Of course I don't mean forever..." The elder said, a small hint of amusement in his voice as Brave placed her hands on her hips, a little annoyed at his lack of explanation. "If I understand correctly, Mieu owes Master Luke his life...Cheagles do not forget their debts! Mieu will serve Master Luke for one cycle of seasons!"

"What?!" Luke cried out as the elder handed Mieu the ring and he flew up to Luke's face. "I'll do my best, Master!" He said cutely and Brave cooed, only to get a look from Jade and glare right back, her cheeks flaming at that second.

"Wh-what are you staring at?!" Brave seethed and Jade smirked and pushed his glasses up his nose with an insufferably smile and his eyes closed. "I was just wondering if the injury on your back was healing?"

"Why would you wonder that?"

"Because there is so much blood pumping through your features that it must be healing rather rapidly!" Jade said and his smile widened when Brave's face lit up further and she began to curse in such a foul way, shocking both Ion and Tear, believers of the Score.

All the while Jade's smile never even budged.

~TotA~

"Really, how did I get involved in this?" Luke ranted with a scowl as they continued walking back towards the entrance to the forest, all of them listening to Luke's complaints without actually caring.

Most of the group were used to them by now.

"Please wait, Master!" Mieu shouted, flying after Luke, only to get yelled at. "Don't follow me!" He roared and Mieu flew a little further back with a whine.

"That poor Cheagle..." Brave muttered and Jade's smirk widened. Oh how fun it was going to be to tease her.

"Careful, it actually sounds like you care..." He said and Brave snarled angrily, she wanted to kick this man's ass, but she had to get Luke back to Baticul and she couldn't do that from behind bars.

"U-up your's Colonel!" She seethed, crossing her arms and glaring at him. "I don't care about anyone but myself and getting Master Luke home!"

"Would you quit it with the 'Master,' Brave?" Luke asked, looking over his shoulder at his Swords Master. "You don't need to call me that, not even Master calls me that!"

"Master Ion!"

They all hummed and looked up to see Anise running towards them, that bright smile on her face. "Welcome back, Master Ion!"

"Well done, Anise, where's the Tartarus?" Jade asked with just as cheerful a tone, yet his cheerfulness made people want to punch him.

"Just right in front of the forest!" Anise informed the Colonel. "You said to hurry, Colonel, so we all did our best to come as fast as we could!"

Suddenly several armed Malkuth soldiers ran at them and pushed Brave, Luke and Tear into the middle of a circle of swords, both Brave and Luke showing anger while Tear had such a shocked expression on her face.

"Hey, what's the meaning of this?!" Luke snarled, glaring at Jade, who's eyes were concealed behind the light bouncing off his glasses as he pointed his palm at them.

"Restrain them at once!" Jade ordered, watching as the soldiers moved closer, their swords at each of their throats. "They are the ones who've been emitting unknown Seventh Fonons!"

Then he looked at Brave, though she couldn't see his eyes, she had a feeling he was looking at her because of the small motion of his head. "And she had been emitting an unknown frequency that doesn't match any of the Fonons we've discovered!"

Brave's eyes narrowed and a curse left her lips as she glared at Jade, who wasn't smiling for the first time since she had met him. This was bad, they couldn't arrest her.

What if they found out who she was?!

* * *

**A/N: What did you think? I am really worried in case I got Jade's character wrong. HE IS SO HARD TO READ! It's almost impossible to get his character perfect!**

**Please review, all comments and advice are appreciated and welcome! I could really do with both praise and criticism in this book, because it's a long book and the motivation would really help.**

**Even if I don't get reviews, I will still post chapters, but it's nice to hear what you all think!**

**Chapter 3 won't be started until I find the time, so expect a wait, okay?**

**Thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3: Oracle Knights Attack

**Chapter 3 - Oracle Knights Attack**

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**A/N: I do not own Tales of the Abyss!**

**I do however own Brave Moon and any other OCs mentioned!**

**Please ask permission before using them!**

**THIS CHAPTER IS LONG, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TIME BEFORE YOU READ IT.**

**This chapter took a full week to write, so it's bound to be long!**

**WARNING! This chapter contains death, blood and swearing. If you have problems with any of these, I suggest you stop reading now.  
**

**Enjoy!**

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"You bastard! I'm going to kill you! Do you hear me?! You're going to die!" Brave snarled as she struggled against the chair she had been tied to, a Seventh Fonist behind her, trying to heal her injuries through the torn battle suit.

Jade was stood in front of the door, his hands behind his back and an amused smile on his features. Brave's anger flared every time she saw that smirk and her struggles became more violent, almost thrashing, just to try and reach him.

"Please keep still!" The Seventh Fonist said, her hair long and black with emerald green eyes. "I can't heal you when you're moving around like this!"

"I don't care! I don't need healing!" Brave roared, glaring at the Seventh Fonist over her shoulder. Of course she was lying, her vision was blurring due to the loss of blood and the twinges of pain left behind after that Apple Gel.

"Only a fool denies the help of a Seventh Fonist..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "If you continue to thrash around like a fish out of water, you'll lose blood faster and that will only result in your death..."

"I don't care!" Brave snarled, glaring at the Colonel before her as he looked at her, not surprised but curious. "I don't need that Seventh Fonist! I've been in battles, and I'm still alive! Why do you think that is, Colonel?" She asked, her eyes hardening as she gritted her teeth and tugged on her restraints. "Now let me go!"

Jade processed her words and his eyes narrowed, his smile fading. 'So she can heal herself?' Jade thought, his head lowering with his seriousness. 'However the scanners didn't pick up even a single Seventh Fonon from her...'

The Colonel smirked and chuckled, pushing his glasses up his nose before dropping his hand to his side, the other falling from behind his back to join it. "My, my! What a woman of mystery!" He teased as she growled and tugged again.

The Seventh Fonist sighed and looked at Jade, shaking her head. She couldn't work like this, if she couldn't keep the patient still, there was no way she could keep focused long enough to heal her.

Jade nodded stiffly and stepped forward, pointing his palm at Brave's face and making her freeze up, having seen the sheer power his Indignation held. "I believe it would be in your best interest to keep still..."

Brave snarled angrily as the Seventh Fonist finally started healing her injuries. The skin knitting back together and leaving behind nothing but dried blood and torn fabric, oh and two very large scars.

"I'm sorry..." The Seventh Fonist said, frowning as she tried to heal once more, but the scars remained. "I'm afraid your injury was that severe even my healing artes couldn't stop them scarring..."

Brave inhaled sharply and looked back at the Seventh Fonist with a look of terrifying anger, no longer caring that Jade's palm was still pointed at her face. "What?!" She barked, causing the Seventh Fonist to jump back at the sheer volume of her rage. "You couldn't even do your job? What kind of Seventh Fonist are you?!"

"I-I'm sorry...It's not as bad as-"

"Those claws dug through almost all of my skin, from my shoulders to my ass! Don't tell me they're not as bad as I think!" Brave roared, struggling against the restraints once more. "You assholes! I'll kill you both!"

"Now, now, there's no need for those kinds of threats..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose with a small smile. "Once you've calmed down, I'll release you from those restraints and you'll join your friends in the other room..."

"They're not my friends!" Brave growled, inhaling and exhaling slowly, as to calm herself. She couldn't let Luke be alone, he was probably terrified. "I have a duty to Master Luke, nothing more!"

"Oh? What sort of duty would that be?"

Brave bit her tongue, she had already said too much. Jade chuckled and crouched down, taking the ropes around her ankles and beginning to untie them. "It seems you're calm enough, once I've questioned the three of you-"

THWACK!

Jade stumbled back and landed hard on his spine, Brave's leg angled up and a small smattering of blood on the toe of her boot, a smirk covering her triumphant features.

The Colonel pushed himself up so he was resting on one elbow, the other touching his nose with a small narrowing of his crimson eyes. "Colonel!" The Seventh Fonist gasped as he pulled his hand back and saw blood staining the fingers of his glove.

She had one hell of a strong kick.

Jade smirked and got to his feet, watching as the Seventh Fonist came over and healed his nose, handing him a tissue to wipe the dried blood with. "Thank you..." He said to the healer as he dabbed at the blood.

"Oh I'm sorry..." Brave said, not a hint of anything other than smug satisfaction in her voice. "I was merely stretching, I didn't realise your face was that close to my boot!"

Jade chuckled and stuffed the tissue into his pocket to dispose of later. "Brave Moon, I place you under arrest for assault on a military officer-"

Brave hissed with anger.

"-You are now in my custody until we reach Grand Chokmah, until then, you are to remain in my proximity, unless injured or sleeping...Do you deny these charges?"

"There is no way in hell I am staying with you!" Brave snarled, jumping out of the chair, her hands still knotted behind her back as she glared at the Colonel. "Once this land ship stops, I get off, you hear?!"

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that..." Jade said, taking her arm and dragging her from the room, towards the room where she would be questioned along with the others.

Luke, Tear and Mieu looked up as the door opened and Jade walked in, dragging Brave behind him, who was glaring holes into the Colonel's skull.

Jade pushed her onto a chair and pushed his glasses up his nose, his smile falling. "I would appreciate it if you were to refrain from attacking anyone...I believe my actions in the other room were civil, but under extreme cases, I am allowed to execute you for your crimes..."

"Go to hell!"

"Very well..." Jade walked around the table and stood in front of the two accused and the one criminal, Ion and Anise beside him. "Now, shall I explain why we have put you all under arrest?"

"Please..." Tear confirmed, both she and Luke in handcuffs, while Brave's rope had been replaced with cuffs by a soldier, who was a little afraid to go near her.

"To begin, I shall explain what we know..." Jade said, taking a map out of his pocket and unfolding it onto the table, covered in little red and blue dots, showing the towns by the color of their country. Red for Kimlasca, and blue for Malkuth.

"The hyperresonance or Seventh Fonons occurred in Baticul, the capital of the kingdom of Kimlasca..." Jade said, pointing at Baticul before sliding his finger over to a blank space on the map, only showing the overview of a small cluster of trees. "And ended in Tartaroo Valley, on Malkuth territory...If you're the ones who caused the hyperresonance, it would mean that you crossed the border illegally..."

Luke huffed and scratched his cheek. "What an obnoxious man..." He commented and Anise smiled, elbowing the Colonel slightly. "He called you obnoxious, Colonel!"

Jade's smile never faltered as he pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Oh, I'm so insulted..." He said, sounding too cheerful to be serious.

"And a sarcastic bastard..." Brave added in, earning an amused look from the Colonel and causing her to growl with both annoyance.

"Well, moving along..." His smile faded as he dropped his hand to his side and looked at the three of them. "I know that Tear is an Oracle Knight...But you, Luke, what is your full name?"

"Luke Fon Fabre...The Luke you guys failed to kidnap!"

Anise made a noise of surprise as Jade placed one hand on his hip and stroked his chin with the other hand. "So you're the son of Duke Fabre, who is related to the Kimlascan Royal Family by marriage?"

"Oh wow! The son of a Duke!" Anise gasped, then grinned devilishly. "In other words..." Suddenly she got all lovey-dovey and Brave rolled her eyes. "A chance to marry into money!"

"Damn, don't you have any shame?" Brave asked, getting a glare from the little girl, who was already starting to get on Brave's nerves, along with the Colonel over there.

Jade turned his eyes to her as he dropped his hand from his chin, letting it hang at his side. "It seems you don't either...Why don't you tell us your real name?"

Brave froze, blinking twice. "What?"

"I am well aware of who you are, Brave..." Jade said, lifting his chin and looking down at her with an authoritative air around him. "Why not tell everyone else your name?"

Brave growled and kept her mouth shut, lowering her head and intensifying her lilac glare. "Screw you!" She snarled, tugging uselessly on the cuff around her wrists.

"Fine, I'll tell them..." Jade said, turning to a soldier, who nodded and left the room. A few moments later, the soldier returned with a document and Jade placed it on the table.

_Violet Brave Moon_.

Brave cursed and felt a drop of sweat slide down her cheek. There was no use denying it, she didn't have the creativity to make up something other than 'Brave Moon' so it was pretty obvious Violet was her.

"B-Brave..." Luke gasped and Brave glared at the document, as if hoping her eyes would make it burst into flames. "Your real name is Violet?"

"Yes..." Violet admitted, shifting her glare to Jade, who held no evidence of a smile. "I'm Violet Brave Moon...I should have made up a better name!"

"Your crimes are known throughout the Malkuth Military..." Jade said, opening the document and pointing at the words labeling her crimes.

_The murder of three Malkuth Soldiers, all new recruits, all untrained fully in battle, all patrolling Engeve at the time._

"Crap!" Violet seethed, looking down at the document with a look of both defeat and dread, she knew what she had done it seemed.

However there was something else bothering Jade. She didn't look like the type to kill out of cold blood,even with her threats earlier. What could have driven her to such a sinful crime?

"B-Brave, you're a murderer?!" Luke asked, fear and shock on his features and Violet looked away, her eyes closed to hide the small sliver of hurt she felt at his distrust.

"I...Had my reasons..." She said, her voice just as cold as ever and Jade's eyes narrowed with suspicion. There was more to what she said than meets the eye.

"Now I have two reasons to keep you in my custody..." Jade said, earning a hiss from the accused young woman. "Once we reach Grand Chokmah, I will set up a trail to jusge you for your crimes..."

"Screw you! Colonel!" Violet snarled, glaring at him to the point where the look would possibly kill him if he met her eyes.

Which he did.

"Now to move on to much more important matters..." Jade said, turning to the other two as Violet looked out of the window, unable to see her hometown getting further away from this angle. "Why did you come to the Malkuth Empire? Moreover, what's this about a kidnapping? It doesn't sound pleasant..."

Tear rose from her seat, her hands locked in cuffs, just like Luke and Violet's were. "Putting the kidnapping aside, what happened was a mere accident! This is definitely not a move from Duke Fabre against Malkuth!"

"Colonel, it is as Tear says..." Ion said, looking up at the taller, older man. "They don't seem to be enemies..."

Jade sighed and closed his eyes. "Well, it certainly does seem that way..." He said, then opened his eyes and trained them on Violet, who was probably imagining all the ways she could kill him, if the look she was giving him was any indication. "However Violet is dangerous, I shall be keeping a close eye on her..."

"Like hell you will! Next chance I get, I'm gone, you hear?" Violet seethed, she could get out of this easily and kill the Colonel, but that would just add onto her sentence, and she didn't want that.

"I won't allow that, I'm afraid..." Jade said, smiling with amusement as Violet's growl resonated against the walls. He was starting to piss her off!

"Actually, Violet..." Ion said, smiling kindly at the three of them. "We would like the three of you to assist us!" The young boy looked at Jade and he nodded, walking towards Violet and pulling a key out of his pocket.

"If you try anything, I have the right to execute you, for the safety of the Fon Master and everyone else on board..." Jade warned her, taking her wrists and unlocking the cuffs, dropping her wrists the second the cuffs fell to the floor.

Violet just gave the Colonel an intense and cold look as he walked away from her and unlocked both Tear and Luke's wrists, the three of them rubbing where the cuffs had been.

"First, you treat innocent people like criminals-" Luke started, but Anise interrupted him.

"Actually, Violet isn't innocent-"

"Shut it, kid!" Violet snarled and Anise gave her a pout as a response, she had only been joking to lighten the mood. However it seemed Violet was a mood killer as well as a murderer.

Luke waited until the noise died down, then he continued. "-And then you ask for help?"

"We are heading towards the kingdom of Kimlasca under orders from Emperor Peony the Ninth of the Malkuth Empire..." Jade explained.

"Don't tell me...To declare war?" Tear asked and Violet hissed. She hated war, she hated what it was doing to this world, people weren't trusting others and as a result more crimes were being committed because of it.

She hated the mere thought of war.

"'To declare war?'" Luke repeated, slamming his hands on the desk and leaning over it. "So that means a war is going to start?"

"On the contrary, Master Luke!" Anise said brightly, making Violet roll her eyes at the word 'master.' "We're going to prevent a war from happening!"

"To prevent a war?" Luke asked. "Is it really that bad? The relation between Kimlasca and Malkuth, I mean..."

"You're the only one who doesn't know, Master Luke..." Violet said, closing her eyes as she crossed her arms. "Malkuth and Kimlasca have been on the verge of war for a while, it'll only take one spark to set the whole thing ablaze..."

"If we leave things as they are, a large-scale war is likely to start soon..." Jade said, crossing his arms, placing both hands on his elbows. "It has been fifteen years since the Hod War ended...And now localized skirmishes occur frequently..."

"Therefore His Imperial Majesty Peony decided to send a letter to Kimlasca in order to conclude a peacy treaty..." Ion continued, taking over where Jade left off. "He requested me to come along as a neutral ambassador..."

"If that's true, why are you rumored to be missing?" Luke asked, annoyance creeping into his tone as he sat back and crossed his arms, mimicking his Swords Master, who was sat the same way. "Master Van left to look for you!"

"That's because I escaped from Mohs' custody with the aid of the Malkuth Military..."

"Who's that Mohs?" Luke asked as Violet hummed and straightened up, interested in what was being said. "Isn't he in the faction against Fon Master Ion?"

"Yeah!" Anise said. "He's the head of the faction in fact!"

"At present, the Order of Lorelei is divided between the reformist faction, centered around Fon Master Ion, and the conservative faction Grand Maestro faction, centered around Mohs..." Jade explained.

Ion looked down with a frown and let out a simple sentence he wished he didn't have to say. "Grand Maestro Mohs wishes for a war to start..."

Tear gasped and shot up, slamming her hands onto the table. "Fon Master Ion, there must be some mistake!" She said, shocked and insulted, almost as if Ion had accused her and not Mohs. "Grand Maestro Mohs only wishes for the fulfillment of the Score! There's no way he would want such a thing to happen!"

"So Tear's on the Grand Maestro's side..." Anise sighed, leaning against the table. "That's quite a shock..."

"I'm neutral..."

Luke was still confused. "But why does that Mohs guy want to start a war?" He asked as Violet huffed and stood up, walking over to the window and looking out, no longer able to see Engeve.

"That's confidential to the Order of Lorelei...I can't talk about it..." Ion said, regret seeping into his tone, even with one of them being a murderer, he still seemed to trust them enough with all this information.

Violet would feel honored if she wasn't so angry at the Colonel and worried about what her parents are thinking. She didn't return home, were they searching for her?

"Regardless to the state of affairs within the Order, we have to bring this letter to Kimlasca at all costs!"

"However we are soldiers of the opposing country..." Jade said with a sigh, stroking his chin, keeping his other hand against his elbow. "Even if we go as emissaries of peace, it will be difficult to pass the border without problems..." He lowered his hand and looked back at Luke. "This is where we need you..."

Then that smug bastard of a smile returned. "No, actually, we only need your status!"

Violet huffed and glared out of the window. "What part to do I play in this?" She asked, placing one hand on the helm of her sword and resting the other on the circular window sill.

"You must be staff to Luke if you refer to him as 'Master'..." Jade said and blinked when Violet's shoulders stiffened.

"I am not 'staff!'" She ground out, glaring at the man from over her shoulder. "I am his temporary Swords Master! I am here to both protect and teach the young master the ways of the blade!"

"Ah, that's quite a title!" Jade said cheerfully and she huffed, turning back to the window. "However you must have a good relationship with both the Fabres and the king himself, do you not?"

"What's it to you?"

"With your connections to the king, we could speed the process up and be across the border before long..." Jade said, smirking when she made a noise of annoyance, having too much pride to admit that he was right.

"Although I love both Kimlasca and Malkuth, I have no reason to help you...If it had been a trusted member of the Fabre family, or the emperor himself, I might have agreed...But I _hate_ you! So why should I help an asshole like yourself?"

"You would let your own selfish anger get in the way of peace?" Jade asked, cocking his head to the side with a serious look.

Violet glanced at his reflection in the glass and sighed. "No, I'm on board...However could I please make a request?"

Jade never spoke and Violet took that as her cue to continue. "I would like to see my parents on the way to Grand Chokmah..." She turned to face the group in the room. "I need to explain what has happened and that I would most likely be executed for my crimes...I do not want them to suffer for my sins..."

The Colonel thought for a moment, although she had in fact committed murder. If she were to stop the war, she would have done a valiant deed for Malkuth and in fact helped in saving millions of lives.

"I believe if we are to stop this war, then I will have the jurisdiction to relieve you of all your past crimes..." Jade said, and Violet's face melted into shock. "However if you were to do any such crimes without reason during our travels there, I will have no choice but to execute you myself..."

"Alright..." Violet said, nodding her head, her calmer side finally kicking in. She was still a cold woman, but when she finally had a reason to be calm, she would be calm. "I accept these conditions..."

They all looked at Luke, waiting for his reply. Of course Violet smirked when Luke's own smirk appeared. Oh he was going to mess with the Colonel, was he? "Hey, hey, Old Man..." Luke said with arrogance dripping into his tone. "You shouldn't talk like that..." Of course he was referring to the little dig about his social status earlier. "Besides, wouldn't it be polite to bow your head when you ask someone for a favor?"

Jade stood there for a moment. "Oh dear..." He breathed as he walked around the table and dropped to one knee, his hand on his chest and his head bowed, ignoring the protest from the other soldier in the room. "I beg you to lend us your aid, Master Luke..."

Violet was snickering by the window. "That's a good look for you, Colonel!" She joked, her smile fading when she saw his eyes open above his glasses and gaze directly at her, a small smirk on his lips.

How tempted she was to kick him in the nose again.

"You really have no pride..." Luke commented rudely as he entwined his hands on the back of his head.

Jade got to his feet and his small smirk widened into an insufferable one as he pushed his glasses up his nose and shielded his eyes from view as the light bounced off the frames. "Unfortunately for you, my pride is not so cheap as to be shaken by such petty matters!"

Luke tsked with disappointment and lowered his hands. "I get it...You just need to meet with Uncle, right?"

"Thank you very much!" Jade said with a light and cheerful tone, making Violet roll her eyes and cross her arms, leaning back against the wall. "Now, if you would allow me, I need to get back to work! Make yourself at home, Master Luke!"

"Drop the title! I'll barf..."

"As you wish, _Master..._Luke..."

Luke growled and Jade looked directly at Violet. "Now Violet, if you would come with me for one moment..." He said, not a question, not a request, but an authoritative demand.

She had a feeling this wasn't going to end well in her favor. However she had agreed to help, so she pushed herself off of the wall and walked out of the room, following the taller man.

"Alright, what do you want?" She asked as the two of them walked down the corridor towards another room she assumed.

Jade looked at her over his shoulder with his usual smile and her eyes narrowed with a soft growl. She had only known this man properly for an hour and he was already pissing her off.

The Colonel stopped at a room and opened the door, bowing and gesturing to the room. Violet huffed and walked inside, only to freeze when she realised where they were.

Oh crap! An interrogation room!

Violet turned to run but Jade had already closed the door, leaning against it with a smile and his eyes hidden by the light of his glasses. "I believe you were going to take a seat?" He asked.

"I hate you, you know that right?" She asked, walking over to a chair and dropping down. Jade locked the door with a key and placed it into his pocket, chuckling at Violet's curse before he walked over to the chair opposite the young woman and sat down, crossing his arms and his smile melting away to be replaced by a serious, military expression.

"Now, where shall we begin?" He asked.

"How about unlocking the door and letting me repair my battle suit?" Violet asked, leaning back and crossing her arms, two sets of cold eyes locking onto one another.

"Now, now, you know I cannot allow that, after all, I wouldn't be doing my job right if I didn't interrogate a wanted murderer..."

Jade caught Violet's almost unseen wince and his own eyes narrowed. If she was a cold-blooded killer, she wouldn't have reacted like that towards killing.

"I don't have time for this nonsense..." Violet seethed, her cold expression showing her distrust for the Colonel in front of her. "Now unlock the door..."

"I cannot do that until this interrogation is complete..." Jade said, crossing one leg over the other to get comfortable, having a feeling Violet wasn't going to co-operate for quite some time. "Now, how about you tell me why you killed those soldiers?"

"Piss off!"

"Language like that is unbecoming of such a young woman..."

"Then go and-"

"Nor are words of such a vulgar meaning..." Jade pushed his glasses up his nose and rested one hand on the desk, the other against his knee. "Your sword strikes me as interesting...It is the same blade you used to kill those soldiers, usually a murderer would dispose of all evidence, including the weapon...Why did you keep a killer's sword?"

"I have my reasons..."

"What would those be?"

"Mind your own business!" Violet anger was rising as she felt her protective side kicking in, she had a reason, what that reason was didn't matter, she didn't have to say anything.

"I can only keep to my conditions of your release if I understand fully what it is you've done..." Jade explained, his eyes serious as he lowered his head, stopping the light from shielding them. "If you were to explain your actions and why you did such a rash and violent act against the military, it might aid your release from my custody..."

"I don't care if I rot in jail!" Violet snarled, standing up and slamming her hands onto the table. "I will not explain my actions to a soldier like you!"

"It seems you have a distrust for the Malkuth Military..." Jade mused and Violet's hands coiled into fists against the table. "The interrogation will proceed in another two hours, take this time to shower and rest..."

Violet's cold glare followed Jade as he stood up and unlocked the door, allowing her to leave. She shoved his shoulder while passing, trying to indicate she wasn't going to change her mind anytime soon.

Jade's eyes were suspicious as she walked down the hall and turned a corner, towards the guest cabins. She was definitally hiding something, now if only she would tell him what.

Violet sighed as she walked into an unoccupied cabin, locking the door and walking into the bathroom to shower. She stripped off her clothing and froze when she saw the torn fabric, remembering what the Seventh Fonist had said.

She turned to the mirror and spun around, looking at her back over her shoulder. She felt her stomach tie in knots as she saw two large gashes, ugly and dark, going from her shoulders and disappearing where the mirror stopped. However she knew they went down to her ass because she could see them from this angle.

Her body had been permanently scarred because of one Liger. A small flicker of sadness nipped at her but she forced it back, making her eyes cold as she huffed and walked into the shower, switching on the water and washing away any exhaustion.

Who was she to care about a few scars? She was a warrior, she was bound to get scars at least once in her life. She just wished they had been smaller, less noticable.

_"It seems you have a distrust for the Malkuth Military..."_

Violet cursed and shook the thought from her head, grabbing some soap and washing her hair. Why did that Colonel's words bother her? Her actions had reason, but she would not tell that jackass what they were!

~TotA~

The young Swords Master stepped out of the shower and slipped into one of the Malkuth Military undershirts, seeing as there were no other clothes in the wardrobes.

She then sat down on her bed and pulled out a small sewing kit, going to work on fixing her battle suit. Her eyes narrowing as she remembered that day nine years ago.

_"Violet run!"_

_"Marko!"_

_"Aaaaghhh!"_

_"MARKO!"_

Violet yelped as she stabbed her finger with the needle, having not paid attention to where the small sharp object had been pointed. She placed her finger into her mouth and grimaced at the coppery taste of blood.

"Son of a-" She inhaled deeply and allowed herself to calm down, resuming her task, allowing her mind to go blank so she would not prick her finger again.

It took her a whole twenty minutes, but she finally finished her task and sighed as she looked at her battle suit, damaged, but still usable when it came to coverage and battle.

"I hate Ligers..." Violet grumbled, dressing herself and tossing the undershirt into a hamper to be cleaned later. She slipped under the covers and closed her eyes, hoping that nightmares would not plague her after her discussion with the Colonel.

_"Look there she is!"_

_"You...You BASTARDS!"_

_"Aaaaaagh!"_

Violet gasped and shot up, screaming in pain as she headbutted the bars holding up the top bunk. Cursives streamed from her mouth as she hunched over, holding her forehead and gripping the blanket with her other hand.

Well, that's one way to distract yourself from nightmares.

Violet gasped and her eyes snapped open, her body trembling as the images of her dream plagued her. "M-Marko..." She breathed, gritting her teeth and shaking her head.

She cursed as she tossed the covers off and stood up, rolling her neck and cracking any stiff joints as she walked to the door and unlocked it, screaming when she opened it to be met by the back of Colonel.

Jade turned and smiled with amusement as she slapped her hand over her heart, glaring holes into his skull. "It seems you woke up half an hour earlier than I expected!" He said brightly, placing his hands behind his back.

"Have you been out here the whole time?" Violet asked, arching her white brow delicately.

"Yes, you are in my custody, after all!" Jade said, chuckling, his shoulders trembling at the sound. "I have to be at your side at all times, incase you try to escape..."

"I might be a murderer, but I'm a woman of my word..." Violet said, wincing at how that sounded. "Anyway, where is Master Luke?"

"He should be wandering the ship, Anise is with him along with Tear and Mieu..."

Violet sighed and walked around Jade, groaning when she heard footsteps following behind. "Would you leave me alone?!"

"I'm afraid I cannot do that..." Jade said, smiling with amusement. He was enjoying this, the smug bastard was having fun!

They both saw the group after turning a corner, Anise clinging to Luke's arm. Jade was the first to come out with a smart-ass comment, making Violet roll her eyes. "Well, well, Luke, a lovely lady on each arm?"

Anise flushed brightly with embarrassment. "Oh, really, Colonel..." She exclaimed, flailing like a child would. "I'm not...I..." Tear stammered, unsure what to do in these situations.

"He's not talking about you..." Luke said, his tone offensive. "He means Anise and Mieu!"

"Master, you're wrong!" Mieu said, floating towards his master with that cute Cheagle smile. "I'm a boy!"

"You're a male?!"

"Yes!" Mieu did a heroic pose and Violet forced her features to remain neutral at how cute that Cheagle was. "By the way, what were you talking about, when you mentioned a kidnapping earlier?" Jade asked as Violet placed one hand on her hip and the other on the helm of her sword.

"How should I know?" Luke asked defensively. "You guys from Malkuth are the ones who kidnapped me!"

Violet hummed as Jade lowered his head, his expression severe. It made her uncomfortable, she opened her mouth to ask what he was thinking about when suddenly the fonstone on the roof flashed and an alarm sounded.

"What the-?" Luke gasped as Violet cursed and pulled out her sword. Jade ran to the communicator on the wall and pulled it off, speaking down the cone-like device. "Bridge! What's going on?"

"_There's a large flock of Griffins and Ligers right ahead!_" A soldier on the other end said and Jade's face softened, his mouth parted but his teeth locked as he contemplated this. "_Total number unknown!_" Jade's expression became serious and his eyes hardened, this wasn't natural. "Attack, use the canons and take as many down as you can!" He ordered.

"Dammit, this isn't going to be pretty!" Violet said, looking from right to left, keeping an eye out for any enemies. "Colonel, do something, you're the highest authority on this ship!"

Suddenly a cry was heard down the communicator and Jade spoke with urgency, trying to get a response. "Bridge! Respond! Bridge!"

"Ligers are those monster we killed in the Cheagle Forest, right?" Luke asked as Violet ran to the window and looked out, seeing the flocks in the sky. "Oh crap, this is bad!" She hissed.

"Yes..." Mieu answered with a little bit of fear anf regret in his voice.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Luke cried, panic etched into his voice and features as he pictures several Liger Queens. "A lot of those beasts are coming?!"

"Luke, they're not as big as the Liger-" Violet started, trying to reassure the young master, but he continued, too scared to listen.

"I'll die if I stay on this ship! I'm getting off now!" Luke turned and ran towards the nearest exit, ignoring Violet's warnings as Tear ran forward, calling after him. "Wait! It's dangerous to get off now!"

It was too late as Luke skidded to a halt in front of this man who had black/grey hair and small hazel eyes, holding a scythe in both hands. "Exactly!" He roared, slamming the handle of his scythe into the boy and forcing him to bounce off the wall.

"Luke!" Violet gasped, gripping her sword tighter as the blade began to glow with the Fonons she poured into it. "You bastard!" She roared, taking off at top speed towards the large man, her sword raised for a fatal blow. "Sonic Thrust!"

She went to thrust the sword at the man but he smirked and sidestepped it, slamming the scythe's metal pole into her and sending her flying back.

Jade watched with gritted teeth as she slammed off the ground beside him, bouncing back several times before she rolled to a stop, unable to move as the scythe had wracked her nervous system. He had heard something splatter as she collided with the ground, did she carry Gels?

The Colonel turned to the large man and crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes closed as a Fonic Circle appeared beneath his feet. "Oh darkened stormcloud, loose thy blade and run mine enemies through!" His eyes snapped open. "Thunder Blade!" He thrust his hands out and three beams of lightning shot from between them, taking out two of the knights following the larger man, however said man used a barrier and deflected the attack towards them.

Jade turned slightly to the right and the attack shot past him. Violet looked up just in time and gasped, rolling out of the way and watching the strong Fonic Arte shoot past her.

Luke opened his eyes to see what was going on, only he froze in fear as the scythe was slammed into the wall beside his head, the blade pointing in his direction. "As expected from you..." The man said as Violet got to her feet, holding her bruised stomach as her nerves shook. "However, it would be in your best interest to keep still from now on..."

Jade raised his hand, in case of a sneak attack and Violet held her sword tighter, pushing more Fonons into the blade and making it glow brighter.

"From the Malkuth Imperial Forces, Colonel Jade Curtiss...No...Jade the Necromancer!" The man announced and Tear gasped, but Violet made no sound, her eyes only narrowing. "You're...Jade the Necromancer...?" Tear asked as Jade walked past her and stopped a small distance from the man before them.

"Well, well..." He said, his voice still holding a small sense of his usual light tone, even in this serious situation, his smirk still stuck to his features. "It seems I've become quite famous..."

"The rumors of you scavenging corpses after battles are known throughout the world..." The man said, his smile fading with a look of disgust.

Jade let out something between a scoff and a laugh. "This is nothing compared to you, God-General of the Oracle Knights, Largo the Black Lion..."

The smile returned to Largo's face and he let out a huff of laughter. "I would like to fight you, but I regret retrieving Fon Master Ion has priority..."

"I'm afraid we have no intention of handing him over!" Jade said, his tone much brighter as he took a step forward, halting when Largo shouted. "Careful!"

"If you don't want this boy's head to fly, then stay still!" Largo scraped his scythe through the wall, closer to Luke, who was trembling with fear. "Jade the Necromancer...Letting you run around freely would be trouble for us..."

"Are you saying you could kill me all by yourself?"

Largo smirked and reached into his jacket, pulling out a small brown box. "This was supposed to be our trump card to seal the Fon Master's Fonic Artes, but, Jade, I'll use it on you!"

Suddenly the God-General tossed the box above Jade's head and they all looked up as the box released a Fonic Glyph and a torrent of Fonons surrounded him, causing him to glow green.

"Colonel!" Anise gasped as Jade trembled under the painful extraction of his Fonons and dropped to his knees, letting out a small noise of discomfort and pain.

"Thats...Oh no, a Fon Slot Seal!" Tear gasped and Violet looked at the box, if she were to break it, it was likely that Jade's Fon Slots would automatically open and all the Fonons that had been absorbed would return to his body.

"Havoc Strike!" Violet shouted, jumping into the air and pulling her sword back for a fatal thrust. "Oh no you don't!" Largo roared, casting a quick arte and making Violet scream as she was flung back, hitting the ground several times and rolling to a stop once more.

"B-bastard!" Violet seethed, her blade still skittering away. Largo saw his opening and pulled his scythe out of the wall, taking off in a sprint towards the Colonel who was still on one knee underneath the Fon Slot Seal above. "You're mine!" He roared.

"C-Colonel! Get out of there!" Violet shouted, but instead she gasped as Jade placed his hands hovering over one another, palm pointing at palm and thrust them out, making a long slash of green Fonons fill the space. "What the hell?!"

The Fonons dispersed when Jade grabbed them and revealed a red spear, which he angled towards the shocked and cofused God-General as the Fon Slot Seal finally died down.

Jade thrust his spear at Largo, who managed to angle his body and avoid the blade. Jade ran a little distance from Largo and turned to face him once more. "Now Anise! Find Fon Master Ion!" The Necromancer ordered.

"Yes, sir!" She replied as she ran past him.

"You know the rendevous point, don't you?"

"Don't worry!"

Largo growled and took off after her. "I won't let you!" He barked, however a song filled the air and his body became immobalized in a purple light.

"Nice one, Tear!" Violet called as Tear stood there, her scepter pointed at Largo, her song filling the air.

"This is...A Fonic Hymn!" Largo ground out, only able to move his jaw as pain filled him and his muscles felt like they had been trapped under heavy metal. "Wh-when did she...?"

Jade took this as his chance and ran at Largo, letting out a noise of determination as he thrust his spear forward and drove it through the God-General's chest, blood spraying out of both wounds.

Luke watched in horror as Jade pulled his spear out of Largo and straightened up, staring ahead as Largo fell to the ground, blood still spraying from the wound. "He...Stabbed him..." Luke gasped as Violet got her her feet, shaking slightly.

"Let's leave Fon Master Ion's safety in Anise's hands and retake the bridge..." Jade told Tear as she jogged over. "Violet, with me!"

"Get bent, Necromancer!" Violet roared, running in the opposite direction, Jade gritted his teeth and was about to run after her, when she skidded to a halt, turned mid-slide and grabbed her sword, kicking off towards them. "I don't follow your orders, I follow Master Luke's!"

Jade smirked as she ran past and stopped by the stairs. "Come on, Luke, Tear!" She shouted and Tear shouted at Luke, rousing him from his frightened shock and watched as he got to his feet.

The four of them ran up the stairs and through the corridors, Violet, Jade and Tear looking from left to right for enemies, while Luke was distracted, replaying the death of Largo in his head, over and over again.

"Found you!"

Violet gasped and lifted her sword just in time to block and attack from an Oracle Knight. "Violet!" Tear shouted as Violet stepped back with a grunt, her sword being pushed against by the sword of the knight before her.

"Get...Lost!" She roared, kicking the knight and watching as he bent at the waist, she took this as a chance and kicked him again, causing him to fall onto the ground. "Havoc Strike!" She roared, jumping into the air and rocketing towards the man, stabbing him hard in the chest and killing him just seconds later.

"Nicely done!" Jade said as she straightened up and huffed, listening to Jade's next words without looking away from the dead knight. "We have to continue!"

"Right!" Violet nodded, turning on her heel and following the other two as Luke didn't move, staring at the dead knight in front of him. "Luke, come on!" She called back and Luke snapped out of it, running after them.

"This is not how I wanted to spend my morning!" Violet seethed as she glared ahead, not wanting to add more to the list of people she had killed.

"What's wrong?" Jade asked as the four of them skidded around a corner and continued. If she was regretting anything, she would hinder them, he had to stop any hesitance before it could take hold.

"Do you really think now is the right time to ask that?!"

"No, but if you're hesitant, it could mean a fatal mistake in battle and we don't want to die because of someone's foolishness!" Jade said and got flipped off as a response.

"I'm fine! Don't worry about me, Necromancer!" Violet hissed, glaring at the Colonel as they ran through a door just as it opened.

"There they are!" Three Oracle Knights ran towards them and Violet, Jade and Tear took off, Luke watching in horror as Violet slashed the neck of one, Jade stabbed the other and Tear kicked one off the Tartarus, not even looking as the man collided with the ground below.

"We have to keep moving!" Violet told them, her blade dripping with red. "If we stop and mourn any lives, we'll die in the process!"

"Y-you're heartless!" Luke gasped and Violet huffed, closing her eyes and turning, all of them continuing towards the bridge.

"I don't care what you think of me!" Violet told the young master as they ran as fast as they could. "Let's just take control of the bridge and save Ion!"

"Oh?" Jade hummed, smirking as they ran over a steel arched platform, a door at the end leading to the bridge. "I thought you never followed my orders..."

"Do you want me to push you off the Tartarus too?"

Jade chuckled as he, Violet and Tear stood in front of the door and waited for it to open. "Hey, what should I do?" Luke asked, watching as Jade and Tear looked back at him, Violet's grip on her sword tightening as she prepared for a blood bath.

"You can guard the door..." Tear told him as the three of them walked into the building and the door closed behind them. "O-okay..." He said, turning to watch out for enemies.

Luke's stomach sank at the sight of the Malkuth bodies littering the entire deck of the Tartarus, blood everywhere and swords by their sides or inside their bodies. 'Why? Why is this happening?' Luke asked himself, squeezing his eyes shut to avoid seeing the corpses.

"Master!" Mieu shrieked and Luke turned to see an Oracle Knight lunging for him. "Die!" The knight roared, his sword above his head, poised for a fatal strike.

Luke made a noise of fear and grabbed his sword, thrusting it out with a cry. "Stay away!" H heard the sword pierce flesh and felt a warm substance cover his hand. He opened his eyes and gasped, letting of of the sword as the knight fell to the ground, Luke's sword pushed further into the knight's body on impact and stuck out of his back.

Suddenly the door opened and the three members of the party ran out. "Luke!" Tear shouted as Luke stood there, shaking with blood covering his left hand, the hand he wielded his sword with.

"This is bad..." Jade said as Oracle Knights ran towards them, they were outnumbered.

"Luke, what's wrong?" Tear asked and both she and Violet had to listen hard to hear his soft voice. "I-I stabbed him...I killed him..."

"Luke..." Violet stepped forward and placed her hand on the horrified boy's shoulder. "Listen to me, you did the right thing-"

"How is that the right thing?!" Luke barked, pushing her away and she gasped, stepping back several times and managing to regain her balance just before she fell off the Tartarus. "You're a killer, a cold-blooded murder! Don't you dare tell me what's right and what's wrong!"

Violet's eyes widened in shock as she absorbed Luke's words. However she didn't have time to think on it as another voice filled the air. "If you're afraid of killing others, just throw your sword away, you failure!"

"Who-" Tear started, however she never got to finish her question as Icicle Rain was cast and both she and Luke were hit, knocked out within seconds of impact.

"Luke!" Violet shouted as Jade avoided the attack, jumping back and landing expertly only a few feet away as the caster landed where he had once been stood. His hair was long and red, with near black tips and his clothes were those of the God-Generals.

"As expected from the Necromancer, always so tenacious..." The man said as Jade made a small noise of shock and his expression hardened.

"Die!" Violet roared as she ran at the man, her sword raised as she went to stab him in the back. However this man was fast and turned, thrusting the sword into the right side of her abdomen.

The man gasped as Violet's eyes widened, blood spraying from her lips as he pulled out his sword and she dropped to her knees, both arms over the injury. "D-dammit!" She cursed, blood dripping off her chin as the same red liquid stained her arms.

She looked up and gasped, her eyes going wide as she looked upon the face of the man who stabbed her. He stared down at her for a moment before returning his gaze to Jade.

"Captain, what should we do with them?" An Oracle Knight asked, looking down at the unconscious Luke and Tear. "Kill them..." The man said.

"Wait!"

Violet turned her head at the same time as the man. A young woman with blonde hair tied back and blue/green eyes stood before them, two guns in hand. "Legretta..." The man said coldly.

"Fon Master Ion!" Jade shouted as Ion was held back with two swords at his throat. "I'm sorry, Jade..." The young Fon Master said, looking down at Violet, who was shaking. "And you, Violet..."

"Asch, have you forgotten your orders?" Legretta asked, her tone serious, she was obviously a woman of authority. "Or do you plan on ignoring them?"

Asch tsked and spoke with just as much authority to the Oracle Knights. "Take and lock them in a cabin somewhere..." He said, turning as two knights surrounded Jade and Violet was forced to her feet by one of the knights at her side.

"Move!" The knight ordered, pushing her forward and forcing blood to spill down her chin. "I-I'm moving, I'm moving!" She seethed, her hand covering her injury as Jade walked by her side, both arms behind his back and held by the knights, his spear hidden due to his abilities.

Tear and Luke were being carried by separate knights. Violet was injured, both were unconscious and Jade was deep in thought.

Did they stand a chance?

~TotA~

"Get in there!" The knight barked, pushing Violet in last and watching as she fell and landed on her stomach, blood spraying on impact as the Fonic Cage was activated behind her.

"Can you move?" Jade asked, crouching down as Violet placed both hands on the ground and pushed herself to her knees, shaking all the time she did that.

"G-get out of my face, Necromancer!" She growled, turning her body so she fell back against the wall, her injury covered instantly as to avoid unnessisary worry. "It's just a cut, I'm fine!"

Jade got to his feet and crossed his arms, his eyes narrow. "It's foolish to believe that being stabbed will not cause fatal effects...That blade went right through you, I saw the tip push out from your back..."

Violet grimaced, she hadn't noticed when she was being stabbed, all she had felt was overwhelming pain and shock. "I said I'm fine!" She pushed, blood trickling down her chin. "G-get me some water!"

"You cannot drink anything until we find out what damage has been done..." Jade said, walking over to her once more and crouching down again, reaching to move her hand out of the way of the injury. "Now, I have some medical training, allow me to take a look-" She slapped his hand away, but he caught her wrist.

"I said I'm _fine_!" Violet growled, but Jade ignored her, taking her other wrist and keeping a firm grip on them with one hand.

"I will not allow someone in my custody to die without a proper trail..." Jade said, pushing the torn fabric away from the wound to take a look. It was too deep to see, but there was definitely some organ damage, only noted by the amount of blood pooling the floor. "Have you got any Gels or healing abilities?"

"I-I can heal, yes..." Violet hissed, breathing deeply as Jade let go of her wrists. She hovered her hand over the injury and a small green Fonic Circle enveloped her palm, hovering between her hand and the wound.

Jade's eyes narrowed as the Fonic Circle flickered and faded, having not done anything. "What's this? A Healer should be able to heal themselves no matter how fatal the injury..."

"Yeah, well...I can't..." She said, wincing as pain hit her n waves. "I have some Gels..." She opened her medicine pouch and gasped when she felt around inside. "Crap!" She pulled out some splatter Gels and cursed. "They must have been crushed when Largo's scythe sent me flying! Damn that bastard!"

Tear groaned and sat up, rubbing her forehead as she looked around, surveying the area. She gasped when she saw Violet sitting in a small pool of her own blood. "Violet!" She got up to help, but Violet's growl stopped her.

"I'm fine, don't you dare help me!" Violet barked, hissing and covering her would with her hand, blood staining her teeth red as she inhaled deeply. "If I can still talk, I can still fight!"

Jade stood up and crossed his arms as Tear walked over to Luke and called his name several times, trying to rouse him from his slumber as he began to thrash around.

"Luke! Luke! Luke!"

Luke's eyelids squeezed tightly before relaxing and opening to show his emerald green eyes. "Thank goodness, it was just a nightmare..." Tear breathed with relief. "We were so worried!" Mieu whimpered, his eyes filling with tears.

"Where...?" Luke asked, unable to finish as Mieu landed beside his head.

"We are in one of the Tartarus' cabins..." Jade explained as Violet slowly pushed herself up the wall until she was standing.

"Really?" Luke asked as he sat up and rubbed his head forehead, the small flickers of a headache running through his skull. "Right, we were attacked by the Oracle Knights, then..." Luke inhaled sharply and hunched over, his hands gripping his hair tightly as he remembered murdering someone.

"Well, we have to get out of here and rescue Fon Master Ion..." Jade informed them and Tear gasped, turning with haste. "But wasn't he supposed to be with Anise?" She asked, both shocked and worried for the two younger teens.

"Unfortunately he was taken elsewhere..."

"Then, Anise is..."

"Heh..." Violet huffed, hissing as a small trickle of blood slid down her chin. "You've got excellent taste in recruits, Colonel..."

Jade chose to ignore her. "We don't have to worry about Anise..." He said, looking at the green Fonic Cage keeping them in. "More importantly, if the Tartarus is holding position here, it must mean they're waiting for Fon Master Ion to return..." He turned back to them, his face lacking that smile as seriousness took over. "Let's ambush them and rescue him..."

Suddenly Luke got up and scared Mieu half to death. "W-wait! If we do that, we'll have to fight again!"

"What's the matter?" Tear asked, not fully understanding Luke's complaint.

"I'm telling you we might have to kill people again!"

"That can't be helped..." Tear said after a moment of silence, her face cold, as cold as Violet's usually was.

"What are you talking about? Is that how you treat Human life?"

"Indeed, people's lives are very important, but if we don't act, a war will start, and many more people will die..." Jade said, looking back at Violet. "Look at your friend..."

"W-we're not friends!" Violet seethed, having stammered due to blood filling her mouth and spilling down her chin. Luke was horrified at the sight of her holding a blood soaked wound, her own hand red with her life elixir.

Jade once again ignored her. "She was stabbed by a God-General, a member of the Oracle Knights...If a war broke out, many more people would die the same way..."

"I am not going to die, Necromancer!"

"It's alright for them to take her life to keep their own, but when it's the other way round, it's wrong?"

Luke sat down on the bed with a look of defeat and shame. He had killed and he hated himself for it. "But..." He started, unsure how to end his thought.

"If you don't feel like fighting, stay behind us, you'll only be a burden..." Tear said, glancing at Violet. "Violet, you should stay behind us regardless, you're injured, there is no way you can fight!"

"Tough!" Violet growled, gripping the helm of her sword with shaky fingers. "I-I'll fight if I need to, I am not going to let some God-General and those Oracle Knight assholes get in my way!"

Jade loathed her stupidity and pride, she would certainly die if she were in combat with such a severe injury.

"L-Luke, I agree with Tear..." Violet said, pushing off the wall and stumbling clumsily over to the boy, holding her wound tightly. "Stay behind us, if you can't fight, you'll hinder us..."

"I never said I wouldn't fight!" Luke argued, feeling anger welling up along with regret and shame. "I just don't want to kill people!"

Tear's face became solemn and she looked away with a frown. "I don't kill because I like to, you know...In the battlefield, you don't have time to worry about the enemy's life...You live or you die; that's all that matters..."

Luke stared at Tear for a moment while Violet walked over to the sink and splashed water in her face, her vision having blurred just moments before.

"What will you do in the end?" Jade asked, giving Luke a serious and questioning gaze. "If you fight with us, we'll have a better chance of success..."

"I said I'll fight!" Luke barked, Jade's voice irritating him to no end. Violet turned and leaned against the sink with deep breathing, her skin slightly paler than before.

Jade nodded and turned. "Very well!" He said as he stopped in front of the Fonic Cage and placed his hand over his chest, the palm pointing outwards. Violet's eyes widened when he swiped his hand out and the Fonic Cage failed and he ran to the communicator, picking it up in record time and speaking down it without delay.

"By the name of the Necromancer, I order you! Begin operation! Code name, 'Corpse Hunt!'"

Suddenly the lights flickered and died out, one section at a time, Luke and Tear were both showing how impressed they were, while Violet would never admit it.

"Let's go!" Jade called over his shoulder, taking off in a fast sprint to his left, Luke and Tear quickly after him, whereas Violet cursed and followed behind, more or less limping due to the wracking pain from her injury.

"It's an emergency system I set up in advance!" Jade explained as they ran quickly through the corridors, Violet tripping but keeping up with them. "It will take some time before it's restoration!"

"Awesome!" Luke exclaimed, impressed by the Colonel's intelligent thinking. "Where are we going?" Tear asked as Violet stumbled, but caught her footing and picked up the pace.

"To the port hatch! It's the only one that will open during emergency shutdown!" Jade said, skidding around a corner and continuing without delay.

Violet however tripped and landed hard on her stomach. "AAAAGGGHH!" She cried out, holding the injury and trembling as Tear and the other's stopped. "Violet!" She shouted.

"K-keep going!" Violet hissed as she struggled but managed to get to her feet, her hand over the injury, which was bleeding more rapidly now. "I-I'm right behind you!"

"Don't push yourself too hard!" Jade said and turned, running as the others followed behind, including Violet, who was now a lot slower and much more clumsy.

They stopped by the port hatch and Jade placed his finger over his lips, looking out of the window and spotting Legretta and Ion below along with some Oracle Knights. "It looks like we made it in time..." He said softly as Violet hunched over, panting hard, blood dropping from her lips, she was much more pale and it seemed the sudden impact with the floor had sped up the bleeding, causing her life to rapidly decrease.

If she stayed like that for too long, she would most likely die.

"Quickly, hide!" Jade hissed to them, pinning himself to the wall as Luke, Tear and Violet did the same. The door slowly began to open and the stairs began to descend and Jade made his spear appear and nodded towards the other three fighters.

As soon as that first footstep was heard, they were off and Luke sprinted out and down the stairs, Mieu in hand as Jade followed behind.

"Now!" Luke shouted as he jumped down the remaining stairs and pointed Mieu at the Oracle Knights. "Breathe fire!"

"Fire!" Mieu shouted as he spat out a large torrent of fire, engulfing the two knights in flames. Violet jumped onto the banister, after finally recovering enough strength and slid down as Jade jumped into the air, flipped and landed beside Legretta, turning quickly and pointing his spear at her throat, restricting her movements.

Violet stumbled off the banister once she got her footing and pointed her sword at Legretta too, stopping any plans of escape as one fighter was on each side.

"Well done, Jade Curtiss..." Legretta said, her voice only holding a small flicker of surprise as Violet's breathing came out heavy, her shoulder rising and falling with each hard breath she took. "Even with your Fonic Artes sealed off you are not to be underestimated..."

"It's an honor to be complimented by you..." Jade said as he straightened up and adjusted his glasses. "Now, drop your weapons..."

Both Legretta and the Oracle Knights dropped their weapons as Violet's sword felt heavy in her hands and she almost dropped it herself. "Tear, your Fonic Hymns!" Jade called up.

"Tear?" Legretta repeated, looking up at the woman who stood stunned on the stairs. "Tear Grants?" She narrowed her eyes as Tear lowered her weapon slightly. "Major Legretta!" She gasped.

Suddenly the wall exploded and Tear reacted a little too slowly as a Liger tackled her, sending her hurtling down the stairs.

"Tear!" Jade shouted and during the distraction, his spear was kicked out of his hand and he just managed to jump forward before he was kicked himself, landing on his right hand and pushing himself off the ground once more, landing on his feet with grace.

Violet however wasn't as lucky, because of her injury, she could not move at the best of her ability and she cried out as Legretta planted a kick hard into her injury, sending her flying back and into a tree, unable to move and shaking with the pain wracking her body.

"Arietta, what's wrong with the Tartarus?" Legretta, having retrieved her weapons, asked the girl with long pink hair and eyes, who climbed off the Liger.

"It's still inoperable...I only made it here because my friend tore open the door..." Arietta said, her voice sad and her strange doll held close.

"Good job! Now, restrain them!"

The Oracle Knights moved closer to the group and Violet looked up with one eye squeezed tightly shut as one of them walked towards her. It was bad that her sword was just out of reach and she lacked the energy to retrieve it.

If she died here, then she was pathetic! She would not allow herself to die because of a stab wound, nor would she allow herself to die at the hands of Oracle Knight scum!

She reached for her sword, however her attention was taken by a shadowed figure jumping off the top of the Tartarus. She smirked when the shadow faded and Guy landed on the ground, flipping through the air and blocking Legretta's bullets with his sword.

"G-Guy!" She gasped as Guy killed the two Oracle Knights guarding Fon Master Ion and spoke with confidence. "Enter the amazing Guy!"

Using the distraction, Jade landed behind Arietta and pointed his spear at her. "Excuse me..." He said, making Violet roll his eyes at his formality. "Drop your weapons once again, and go back into the Tartarus!"

Legretta dropped her guns and began walking back to the stairs, admitting defeat when she knew nothing could be done.

"Now you...Call back your monsters and enter the Tartarus..." Jade told Arietta, who hesitated, but with a plea from Ion, she did as she was told and all the knights and God-Generals stepped into the ship.

Jade joined the others at the bottom and the doors closed. "Let's get as far away as possible while we have the chance..." He said, turning to see Violet grab her sword, her hand placed firmly over her wound, her entire right side stained with blood. "Violet...Are you able to walk without aid?" He asked.

Violet huffed, using her sword to get to her feet. "I-I can...Manage just fine..." She gasped out, and Jade nodded, taking off in a sprint along with the others, Violet lagging far behind.

~TotA~

They ran for a full ten minutes before complications stopped them, Ion dropping to his knees with exhaustion and Violet collapsing onto her knees, landing on her front a second later.

"Hey, are you alright?!" Luke asked, scared for both Ion and Violet's health.

"Let's rest for a while..." Jade said, glancing at Violet, who forced herself onto her hands and knees, her skin almost transparent with her lack of blood and her eyes having dark shadows beneath them. "If we keep this up, we risk shortening Ion's life..."

"What about Brave?" Guy asked, looking at his friend with worry, she had never looked so weak in all her life.

"I understand your worry, we will not stop for long, maybe five minutes at the most..." Jade said, placing a hand on his hip, having put his spear away while they had ran earlier.

"I'm sorry..." Ion said, more to Violet than anyone else.

Violet scoffed and flipped herself over, lying on her back, looking up at the sky with tired eyes and a weak smirk. "I'm fine..." She lied, her eyelids heavy. "It takes more than a little stab wound to finish me off..."

Guy and the others sat down, all except Jade of course, who was stood a little way away from the group, nearer Violet in case she took a turn for the worst and needed medical attention immediately.

"Guy, I'm glad you came!" Luke said, happy to see his friend, who smiled slightly. "Ah, I was looking for you everywhere!" Guy told the young master. "But I didn't expect to find you here!"

"Who are you?" Ion asked, having wondered since he rescued them.

"Oh, I still haven't introduced myself!" Guy realized as he stood up and pointed his thumb at himself. "I'm Guy, a servant working for Duke Fabre!"

Ion got up and walked over to Guy, shaking his hand, followed by Jade. However when Tear went to shake his hand, Guy rocketed a mile away and a weak laugh was heard from the barely conscious Violet.

"What...?" Tear mused, curious and confused.

"Guy doesn't like girls..." Luke explained poorly, making Violet's laugh echo just a little louder before she groaned. "Oh, ow..." She grumbled, holding her injury a little tighter. "It hurts to laugh..."

"This seems more like Gynophobia..." Jade explained, knowing when Violet spoke she was more-or-less talking to herself. However her weak responses were proving her injury was reaching fatal and she had to get medical help soon.

"If it will help, you don't have to think of me as a woman..." Tear said, stepping forward, but Guy took a step back, apologizing.

Jade's smile came back and he pushed his glasses up his nose, noting to tease Guy about this later before his face became serious once more. "Anyhow, it's about time to head to where we planned to meet up with Anise..." He said. "Plus, Violet is almost unconscious, if we don't move soon, she might not make it to the next city..."

"I'm fine..." Violet whispered, her eyes closed as she inhaled and exhaled deeply, her skin almost lifeless. "Don't worry...About me..."

However just as Jade was about to help Violet up they heard running and turned to see Oracle Knights charging towards them. "Oh dear, a party of pursuers so soon?" He asked, making his spear appear and readying himself for battle. "Ion, keep Violet conscious, she is in no fit state to fight and if she falls asleep, she won't wake up again!"

"Right!" Ion dropped to his knees beside Violet and held her head up, much to her annoyance.

Jade and an Oracle Knight clashed weapons and Jade pushed him back with each clash, however he heard movement behind him and spun, avoiding an attack and blocking another with his spear, that ever present smile upon his features.

Guy pushed hard against an Oracle Knights blade and made the man stagger back before Guy jumped into the air, did a flip and landed behind him, diving for the knight as he turned and cutting across his stomach, killing him instantly. Tear doing the same to another knight.

Jade and the other knight were still locked and pushing against one another as Luke grabbed his sword, freezing when he remembered the incident that happened earlier that day.

The moment he became a murderer.

"Jade, Violet's lost consciousness!" Ion shouted, trying to wake Violet as Jade pushed the knight away and stabbed him hard, pulling his spear out and watching as the knight fell to the ground, dead.

He turned to go to Ion's side, however he heard Luke let out a terrified scream and spun round, watching as Tear jumped in the way, a deep slash cutting into her arm as she took the blow Luke was about to receive.

Guy killed the knight as Tear hit the floor beside a fallen Luke, who had landed hard on his ass and was staring at her in horror. "Idiot..." She gasped out before losing consciousness.

Jade took this time, as Ion made sure Tear was alright, and ran to Violet's side, dropping down and pulling off his glove. He had to find a pulse, she hadn't moved since Ion shouted that she had lost consciousness, if she was still alive, he had to find out now, before she faded and her body was all that remained.

He pressed his bare fingers to her neck and waited patiently, pressing harder when he felt nothing, his eyes narrowing with questioning.

Had she already passed away?

* * *

**A/N: What did you think? I wasn't really sure about some things, but I'm actually happy with how this turned out. I bet you weren't expecting Brave's name was actually Violet!**

**Please review, all comments and advice are appreciated and welcome! I take all criticism with a stiff upper lip and will take all comments into account!**

**Oh and chapter 4 may take some time, please be patient, I will get it finished and posted as soon as it's finished. Or if it's really late when I finish it, then I will post it the day after!**

**Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4: Hidden Truth

**Chapter 4 - Hidden Truth**

* * *

**A/N: I do not own Tales of the Abyss!**

**I do however own Violet Brave Moon and any other OCs mentioned! Please ask permission before using them!**

**This is my LONGEST chapter to date, so make sure you all have time to read it!**

**This chapter took so long to write because of the sheer amount that happens along with the extra scenes I added when the scene would skip to a new location.**

**I hope you all enjoy, I worked very hard on this chapter.**

* * *

St. Binah was peaceful around four in the afternoon, the time Luke and the group had arrived. Now Luke, Ion and Mieu were stood in Tear's room, waiting for the young woman to wake from her unconscious state.

Jade and Guy were currently out looking for Anise, failing that, they said they would visit the Field Marshall to see if she had stopped by.

Luke was leaning against the wall, a frown on his features as he looked at Tear. It was his fault she had been injured, he should never have froze up.

Suddenly they heard a groan and Luke was pulled from his thoughts, seeing Tear open her eyes slightly. "Tear!" Mieu exclaimed excitedly.

"Tear, how are you feeling?" Ion asked, as relieved as Mieu to see the young woman awake.

Tear pushed herself up until she was sitting and looked at Ion with confusion. "I..." She hummed as she noticed the bandage she was wearing around her arm.

Luke stepped forward to say something when there was a knock on the door and both Jade and Guy entered.

"Have you come around, Tear?" Jade asked cheerfully, folding his arms behind his back as he stopped just behind Ion, that constant smile still on his features. "How is your wound? It's a pity we don't have a Seventh Fonist here to use healing artes..." There was something in his tone. He knew.

"I'm thankful for your concern, Colonel, but I can heal myself..." Tear said, a small smile tilting her lips as she lifted her hand to the wound and a small, green Fonic Circle appeared between her palm and the wound.

After a moment the circle faded and Tear unwrapped the bandage and pulled off the gauze, showing unblemished skin.

"It's healed, that's great!" Mieu exclaimed excitedly as Tear examined the skin, making sure she did a fine job and didn't leave any reminents of the injury.

"Ah, um..." Luke stammered, unsure what to say, but Tear didn't give him a chance to mull it over as she gasped and looked up at him.

"Are you alright?" Tear asked, concern deep in her tone, she had dove in front of the attack to save Luke, her own injuries didn't matter. "I knew you were a civilian, but it seems I didn't fully comprehend what that means...I'm sorry..."

Luke huffed and crossed his arms, looking away with annoyance. "Why are you apologizing?" He asked, looking back at her with a softened expression. "You're the one who got hurt..."

"As long as I'm a soldier, protecting civilians is my duty! If I get hurt while doing it, it just means I wasn't strong enough..." Tear held the injury as her tone softened. "That's all..."

"My, you two are getting along so well!" Jade said, teasing in his tone and a bright smile on his features. "I'm so jealous!"

Both Luke and Tear jumped on that like a shark would a victim. "We're not-" Luke started at the same time as Tear said. "It's not like that!"

Jade's smile widened and he closed his eyes, an expression too cute to suit the sarcastic Colonel. "See? A perfect match!"

"Colonel!" Tear exclaimed as Mieu landed on the bed and noticed the blush in both her cheeks and Luke's cheeks.

"Tear and Master are both so red!" Mieu pointed out and Luke roared for the Cheagle to shut up, scaring the poor, little thing.

Tear gasped when she remembered something. "How's Violet?! Last thing I remember she lost consciousness!" She said, worry in her tone.

"Violet just managed to survive..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "She is currently being treated for her injuries, it is unlikely she will wake today, so we won't be able to leave until she has recovered enough to heal herself..."

"Thank goodness she's alright..." Ion said with a relieved sigh. "Did you hear from Anise?"

Jade stuffed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small note. "Yes, there was a message left for us..." He said, holding out the note for Ion.

_Dear Colonel Jade,_

_I had a really scary time, but I managed to reach the second location! I'm taking good care of that precious item! Praise me, praise me~!_

_Is my beloved (aw, so embarrassing, I just confessed!) Master Luke okay? I'm SO worried!_

_I want to meet him soon~!_

_By the way, take good care of Master Ion too!_

_From Anise._

Luke looked away with an awkward smile, obviously not comfortable with how Anise was around him. "Hey, hey, 'Master' Luke, aren't you popular!" Guy asked, teasing his friend.

"Shut up!"

Guy's smile widened and he turned to Jade. "So, what's this second location?"

"Kaitzur Naval Port, at the border line..." Jade said, turning slightly, meeting Guy's eye as he spoke. The young blonde hummed and stroked his chin, looking up at the ceiling.

"So that means we'll have to cross the Fubras River..." Guy mused.

Jade lowered his head, a suspicious look in his eyes. "Oh, Guy, you seem to know Malkuth's geography well, for a Kimlascan..."

"Reading about vacation spots is my hobby!" Guy said, smiling at Jade, however the Malkuth soldier seemed to see something past that. "If we go to Kaitzur, we'll be able to join Van!"

"Join Master?" Luke asked with excitement.

"My brother?" She asked, her voice quieter than before as she looked down with a solemn expression.

Jade smiled brightly and turned to leave, pushing his glasses up his nose as he looked at them over his shoulder. "I shall be back soon, right now I must check on Violet's condition...In her state it is unwise to leave her alone for so long without aid..."

Guy nodded and turned. "I'll go and collect supplies! We're going to need some healing Gels and food!" He said and Jade nodded, walking from the room.

He walked down the corridor a little bit. Jade knocked on the door of the room Violet was resting in and when he received no answer he opened it and looked inside.

Violet was alone on a single bed, her arms over the blanket covering her from the waist down, she was in her underclothes and the large bandage around her abdomen stuck out of the bottom of her black vest.

Jade walked into the room and closed the door, placing his hands behind his back as he waited to hear some semblance of noise from her still form.

When he heard a sharp intake and saw her wince, he knew she was still breathing and walked to the chair by her bed, sitting down and looking her over.

There was a little bit of blood staining the sheets of the bed and most of it was staining her underclothes, having been the clothes closest to the injury.

Her battle suit had been washed, repaired and hung on the door, so if she needed to wear something, there was that. Next to the door was her fine Mythril Sword, the one he wasn't allowed to touch.

Curiosity peaked and he stood up, walking over and taking the blade, pulling it from it's sheath and inspecting the craftsmanship.

It was a beautifully crafted sword and the way it was made allowed the Fonist using it to channel their Fonons into it and make it glow, adding to it's power.

"Where did she get such a powerful sword?" Jade asked as he put it back, seeing no reason to inspect it further. "No murderer keeps their weapon from the sheer guilt they feel for taking lives..." He walked back over to the chair and sat down, crossing one leg over the other and placing one hand on the top of said legs and the other on the arm of the chair.

Jade blinked as he noticed Violet hadn't moved for some time and pulled his glove off, taking her wrist and feeling for her pulse.

She was still alive, it might have been faint and weak, but she had a pulse.

He placed her hand on the bed and pushed his glasses up his nose, placing his hand back on the arm of the chair and relaxed, his mind working as he pondered several different things at once.

~TotA~

Violet groaned as she felt consciousness nipping at her, trying to wake her from her comfortable sleep. She slowly opened her eyes and saw nothing but blurred colors. She blinked several times to clear her vision and noticed she wasn't in the field anymore. "Wh-what...?"

The youn woman turned her head and noticed the contents of the room looked like those of St. Binah's inn. A place she had rested when she made her way from Engeve to Kaitzur, when she first received her job as Luke's Swords Master.

Violet sighed and ran her fingers through her fringe, not having the strength to sit up, she felt like someone has stuffed her with lead and she was so tired.

"What time is it?" She asked herself, lifting her head slightly and noticing how dark the room was, the curtains closed and the moonlight just visible through the gaps in the fabric. "Oh...It's rather late, isn't it?"

The woman sighed and dropped her head back, staring up at the ceiling as she replayed the last part of her memory. Ion shouting for her to stay awake as she drifted off, unable to rouse herself.

"Damn..." She breathed, lifting her hand and placing it on her bandages stomach, wincing as pain nipped at her. "I guess I wasn't as fine as I thought..."

She sighed and forced herself to sit up, hissing as she pulled off her top and checked her bandages, seeing a large stain of red she began to change them.

She had to make sure she was in top form, she didn't want her weakness to bring harm to Luke, after all, he was in her care until they reached Baticul.

~TotA~

The morning came quickly and Violet groaned, opening her eyes slowly to see the ceiling once more. "Good morning!" A voice from her left said and she let out another groan, recognizing it immediately.

"What do you want, Necromancer?" She asked, turning her head to see Jade sat on the chair at her bedside, smiling with that sense of amusement he always had.

"I came to see how you were...Is that a crime?" Jade asked.

"No, it's a punishment..." Violet quipped, looking back up at the ceiling, not really having her usual bite, she must still have some of the fingers of sleep clinging to her consciousness. "Are you going to let me get back to sleep?"

"Now, now, if you sleep for too long, you'll ruin your sleep cycle..." Jade teased, pushing his glasses up his nose before his face became serious. "I have some issues we must discuss..."

Violet groaned and rolled so her back was facing Jade, he could see the shapes of the two large scars peaking up just above the neck of her vest.

That Liger had done a number on her back it seemed.

"Your actions yesterday were foolish..." Jade began, the light shielding his eyes from view as his face stayed cold and stoic, something he did when someone needed a cold, hard slap of reality. "Tear is a Seventh Fonist...Of course, I knew you had no idea of this, however refusing the help of someone, even if they are regular Fonists, is idiotic, a mistake that could have easily cost you your life..."

"I survived without help..." Violet said strongly, not turning to face the Colonel as she spoke, her voice laced with a stubborn sense of pride. "I have never needed help before, nor do I need it now! All of you can just get out of my face!"

"Now I know you care for both Guy and Luke as friends, even if you deny such claims...However your lack of trust in anyone is rather curious..."

"Get. Out!"

"Not until you answer my questions..." Jade said strongly and Violet was shocked to hear such a powerful sense of authority in his voice.

Violet's eyes hardened and she sat up, forcing back the pain she felt as she glared at the man before her. "I don't care who you are, Necromancer, but my business is my business! I don't need nosy, irritating military men sticking their noses in where it's not wanted!"

"Your hatred for the military is odd..." Jade said, his eyes hidden by his glasses. "There are very few Malkuth citizens who despise the people keeping them safe-"

Violet scoffed and Jade raised a brow. "Are you going to tell me why you hate the Malkuth Military?" He asked and Violet cold glare gave him the answer he expected. "Very well, I see no point in keeping you company when you obviously don't want it..." He pushed himself off of the chair and looked down at her, his eyes no longer hidden and showing just a little bit of scolding. "Don't try to act tougher than you are...It will only end badly for you..."

Violet blinked and watched as Jade walked towards the door. "W-wait!" She called and Jade stopped, turning his head slightly and looking at her through the reflection of his glasses.

"What is it?"

"C-can I send a letter to my parents?" Violet asked, looking away with humiliation on her features. She hated being weak and right now she felt that way. "So they don't worry about me?"

Jade's smile returned and he turned to her, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a piece of paper and a pen. What the hell did he carry in those?!

"Of course..." Jade said as Violet took the tools. "I shall be waiting on the other side of the door, call me in when you've finished and I'll see if the military in this town have any spare carrier pigeons..."

Violet huffed and glared holes at Jade as he left the room. "What an annoying asshole..." She mumbled, showing a rare smile before she shook her head, realising that she had felt a small flicker of gratitude for the man. "Stop being stupid..." She mumbled, placing the pen to the paper.

_Dear Mother and Father,_

_I'm sorry for my long absence, you must be worried sick. I am currently in St. Binah resting because of an injury I received. Please don't worry, I wouldn't be writing if I wasn't alright!_

_I was found out. The Colonel, Jade Curtiss, figured out my name was Violet. You were right, I should have thought up a better name._

_I am now in his custody until I reach Baticul and return Luke home. If I am able to stop a war between Malkuth and Kimlasca, I will be relieved of my crimes and will return home._

_I have left my post for too long, and as soon as I return, I will take over the responsibilities which I left behind._

_I'm sorry for worrying you by not writing sooner, but I hope you can all understand._

_Lots of love, Violet._

Violet smiled and folded the letter, writing her parents' address on the back and her initials beneath it, telling her parents who wrote it.

"You can come in now..." Violet said, her smile fading as Jade entered the room and held out his hand, a smile still on his features. "Quit smiling, it's creepy!"

"As you wish..." He said, but his smile only widened as he took the letter and walked to the door. "I shall be back shortly..."

Then he left and Violet's face softened slightly, a kind word swirling in her mind.

Of course she huffed and pushed it away before it could form into a coherent thought, laying back down and closing her eyes. She had to wait a full day before she would get a reply.

~TotA~

Violet felt consciousness nip at her when a knock echoed through the room from the door. "Oh go away, Necromancer!" She whined, rolling over and burying her face into the pillow.

"Hey, do I look like a necromancer to you?"

Violet opened and eye and saw Guy stood there, holding a tray with a smile on his face. "Afternoon Brave!" He said, smiling as he walked in the room and placed the tray on the nightstand, unable to get any closer than that. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine..." Violet said, her voice still cold as she sat up and took the tray, seeing a full meal before her. She felt her mouth water and took the chopsticks, eating as well-mannered as she could when her stomach was empty.

"It's a little smaller than the meals you're used to..." Guy said, sitting down and smiling at her, a small apology in his tone. "But Jade said it wasn't wise for you to eat a full meal, especially with the internal damage you suffered with..."

"I don't care what that bastard thinks!" Violet growled, taking a sip of her drink. "I will eat as much as I want!"

Guy chuckled and hooked his arm over the back of the chair, smiling at his friend. "Can I ask you a few questions, Brave?"

"Why do you keep calling me Brave? Didn't the Colonel already tell you my full name?"

"Yeah, but I didn't want to call you something you're obviously not comfortable with..." Guy said and Violet looked at him with shock in her eyes.

A small smile stretched over her lips and she nodded. "Thanks..." She said softly, in case anyone else heard. However her smile faded and she looked down at her meal, her eyes cold once more. "However I want to be called Violet...There is no use in keeping a name I no longer need..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah..."

"Alright then...Can I ask my questions now, Violet?"

Violet sighed and put a little more food into her mouth, nodding with her eyes closed. If she found a question she didn't like, she wouldn't answer, he already knew that much about her.

"Why did you fake your name?"

"I am a wanted murderer in Malkuth for the deaths of three soldiers..." Violet informed him, opening her eyes and glaring out of the window. "I went by Brave since so no one would recognize the name and call the military..."

"Geez, that's harsh..." Guy said, looking out of the window too as a bird landed on the sill and tapped the glass softly with it's small beak. "Why did you kill them? I know you well enough to know you wouldn't kill without reason..."

Violet's eyes hardened and she glared at the young man. "Alright, that's enough questions!" She hissed, finishing her meal and placing the tray on the nightstand. "Get out, I want to sleep..."

Guy stared at Violet as the rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, listening as he took the tray and left with a deep sigh.

A small sliver of guilt was felt, but Violet pushed it back and let sleep take over once more.

~TotA~

The night rolled by rather quickly and morning came once again. Jade strolled down the halls of the inn, towards Violet's room, his hands in his pockets as he smiled brightly, his usual look.

Violet was already awake and was sharpening her sword when she heard a knock at her door. Feeling at peace, she answered without her usual bite. "Come in!"

Jade opened the door and his smile widened as Violet stopped sharpening and looked up at him. "What do you want?" She asked, looking back down with a cold edge in her eyes.

The Colonel walked over and pulled his hand out of his pocket, his smile widening when she stopped and looked at the letter in hand.

She took the letter and Jade sat down, crossing one leg over the other as he watched her open the letter and saw her eyes scanning over the words, confusion lighting them the more she read.

_Dear Violet,_

_You're not coming back to Engeve once you've finished taking Master Luke home. I saw your eyes when we asked about your long absence, I know that look all to well, I've seen it on you before._

_What was your dream as a child? To see the world, you jumped at the chance to go to Baticul, I think it's only fair if you follow that dream now, since you're old enough and wise enough to make the right decisions._

_Also, I'm sorry the military found you, I worry for your health, but you cannot go on hating them for the rest of your life._

_You have a chance to repent for what you did, take that chance, don't spoil it, do you hear me young lady?_

_Also, I hope you're recovering, when I read about your injury, I had a small heart attack, your father was tempted to chase after you to see if you were alright! I calmed him down though and he has just left for his deliveries._

_Now, about this Colonel you mentioned. I know who you're referring to, it wouldn't be that handsome Colonel you tried to hide from before, would it?_

_Don't hate him, he sent a note with the letter explaining your crimes and what he intends to do. He isn't a bad person._

_Learn to trust you friends, Violet, you can't live your entire life alone and one day, they may save your life._

_Lots of love, Leanna and Intos._

Jade hummed as Violet's features went from confused to the closest he had seen to her being happy. "Is something the matter?" He asked, as she closed the letter and placed it on the nightstand.

"If I help, I am free of all my sins, right?" Violet asked, her eyes hardening into determination, another natural expression for the cold warrior.

"If I understand your reasons, yes..."

Violet tsked and looked away, her eyes cold once more. "Then I guess I'm going to Grand Chokmah then, aren't I?" She said, her voice like ice in a blizzard.

Jade pushed his glasses up his nose and the light bounced off them. "If you continue down this path, Violet, there might come a time when you regret your decisions..." He said, standing and giving a small bow of his head. "I will take my leave..."

The Colonel walked to the door and heard a huff, stopping when he realized Violet had something to say. "Th..." She inhaled deeply and took a different path. "I'll be able to heal myself tomorrow, the rest has helped me regain a lot of blood and I should have the Fonons I need by then..."

Jade looked at her over his shoulder with his usual smile. "That's good news!" He said brightly and Violet's face turned to annoyance. "I shall inform the others!"

"Just get out!"

~TotA~

Violet was true to her word and the next three days passed in a flash. Now they were running through the waters of the Fubras River, which was currently only ankle deep at the moment, luckily enough.

Monsters surrounded them, vicious and large and all the fighters were busy fending them off, protecting the members of the group that didn't have weapons or the power to fight.

Guy ran through the water and slashed each monster with his sword, monster blood spraying from each slash as they died at his hand.

Tear began to sing as a Fonic Circle surrounded her, the monsters dove in for the kill just as she finished and a large burst of energy shot from the circle, not a trace of the monsters left behind as the energy struck them and turned them into atoms.

Violet growled and jumped back as one after one, the monsters took swings at her, trying to harm her, even if it was only slightly. She opened her mouth to say something, but cursed and jumped into the air as the monsters kept coming. "Dammit, let me finish!" She roared, flipping in the air and landing a little way away.

A Fonic Circle surrounded her feet and she glared at them with malice, watching as they got closer. "Oh mighty explosion!" She roared, pointing her palm at them. "Energy Blast!" She turned her palm towards her and closed her fist, watching as a red energy of sorts shot from the ground and electrocuted the monsters, making them drop to the floor, dead, but twitching.

Luke was doing the same as Guy, but with less skill, slashing and killing each monster without mercy, however he didn't keep his eyes on all of them as one monster ran up behind him and he looked at it in shock, unable to react in time.

"Tenraisou!" Jade shouted, a Fonic Circle covering his feet as he swiped his hand out, an electrical energy appearing beneath the monster and shredding it into chunks.

"Thank you!" Luke said to Jade as he sat on the ground, having rolled away just before the monster attacked.

"You're welcome!" Jade said, having to raise his voice as he was a little way away from the red haired teen. "You're finally fighting with all your strength!"

"I said I'd fight, didn't I?" Luke asked as he stood up and Violet walked over, sheathing her sword as she looked at the pair of them. "If it's against monsters, I can still..." He froze as the memory of the moment he became a killer reawakened. He sighed and looked down with a solemn expression.

"What are you moaning for now?" Violet said with a roll of her eyes. "You're being praised, don't act like you're getting a good telling off!"

"Hey! That's not why I'm-" Luke stopped and hummed, looking at her as she smirked. "Are you...Praising me, for my fighting?"

"Of course, although, you should have kept an eye on all your enemies, but for your third actual fight with monsters, you did rather well!"

"Oh my!" Jade said with mock shock. "She has a kindness in her after all! I was starting to believe that the cold-hearted Violet would never show emotion!"

Violet glared at Jade and turned to him, opening her mouth to speak when Luke interrupted, having grown bored of their arguments. "Why are there so many monsters here anyway? It's annoying!"

"Master, please do your best!" Mieu said excitedly and whimpered when Luke's anger was all he recieved.

"I don't want to hear that from someone who can't do anything!"

Mieu whined and looked down, feeling like a failure. However he hummed with shock as he felt himself being picked up and saw Ion holding him with a smile. "I, too, couldn't be of help! I'm sorry..." The young Fon Master said, smiling with sincerity. This made Luke tsk and look away, a small flicker of guilt in his eyes.

"Right, now that Luke feels like an ass, we should continue on!" Violet said, looking back at Jade. "Hey, Jade, how are you feeling?"

Jade hummed and cocked his head to the side, a little curious. "What do you mean, Violet?"

"I mean, is the Fon Slot Seal causing you any problems?"

"Oh? I never knew you cared!"

Violet gritted her teeth and was about to answer with a retort, when the Colonel himself interrupted her, making her face change to a rather unhealthy shade of purple due to her anger.

"It really limits my Fonic Artes..." He said, smiling at Violet as she inhaled and exhaled, trying to stop herself lobbing the Necromancer's head off.

"So that thing earlier...?" Luke asked, looking at the remains of the monster that had been fragmented.

"That was because the basic ability was different!" Jade said, walking towards Ion with his hands behind his back. "However, it will take some time until complete recovery..." Then his voice took on a light tone as he stopped by the Fon Master and the young Fabre. "Until then, please protect us with all your strength!"

Luke huffed with an annoyed expression as Violet rolled her eyes and looked up at the sky. "You're really..." The boy started, but didn't finish, unsure how to complete his thought.

Jade smirked as he pushed his glasses up his nose and Guy spoke. "By the way, did that Anise girl really come through this place all by herself? Is she alright?"

"Don't worry about her!" Jade said, smiling at Guy as he placed his hand behind his back again. "It's Anise we're talking about!"

"Yes, it's Anise, after all!" Ion agreed, his own smile kinder, but matching Jade's.

"R-really..." Guy stammered, smiling awkwardly. 'Just who exactly is this Anise?'

Violet sighed as she looked back at the group. In the last three days, she had gotten more used to their different attitudes, however they were still insufferable.

Jade mostly, that guy was a genuine asshole!

~TotA~

Another two days passed and Violet was currently crouched down in front of a fire, trying to light it without the aid of any Fonic Artes.

She had not mastered any fire artes and if she tried, she would probably burn herself and the others to a crisp. "Come on you piece of sh-" Suddenly a spark lit from the two rocks she held and she made a noise of triumph as the spark touched the wood and a burning ember began to light the small camp. "Yes!"

"Well done!" Jade said, somehow making even his praise sound like an insult as Violet spared him a glare and stood up, dusting off her bare knees.

Jade hummed as Violet walked over and held out her hand. "I need your spear..." She said with a cold attitude, and Jade chuckled, a green slash of Fonons appearing between them as he swiped out his hand and grabbed them, forcing the fonons to dissipate and a spear to be revealed.

"Be careful now, it's sharp!"

"Don't taunt me when I have a grip on your weapon, Necromancer!" She seethed, taking the spear and pointing it at him. "You might end up seeing how sharp it is for yourself!"

"Honestly, your threats hurt me deeply!"

"Kiss my ass!" Violet snarled, turning and walking over to the animal she had skinned and gutted especially for this meal. "I need two swords..."

Guy smiled and pulled out his sword, holding the blade and holding the helm out as far as he could, trembling as Violet walked too close and took the weapon from him, smirking when he jumped back several steps.

"Oh sorry!" Violet said with mock shock. "I forgot you couldn't go near women, was I too close?"

"Th-that's not funny, Violet!" Guy said, his voice higher than normal as he shook on the spot and Violet laughed, turning to Luke, who was cleaning his sword.

A moment of silence passed before Luke finally looked up. "What?" He asked and Violet arched a brow, waking him up fully. "No! No way, use your own damn sword!" He said, putting his sword back into the sheathe.

Violet's icy glare made the young master shiver, but he huffed and crossed his arms, looking away with a stubborn expression and his eyes closed. "Why should I dirty my sword on such a useless task!"

"Hey!" Violet barked, stepping closer and making the young man jump back slightly. "This is not 'useless!' Do you want to be fed, or not?"

"Ah, to be young and full of energy!" Jade said lightly, his own annoying way of changing the subject. Guy laughed nerviously as Violet shot him a look over her shoulder, one eyebrow arched delicately at his sudden speech.

"Whatever..." The young woman said, walking over to the fire and stabbed Guy's blade into the ground at one side, pulling out her sword and hesitating for a split second, luckily no one saw.

Except Jade, who narrowed his eyes as she stabbed her sword into the ground as well.

The young woman made sure both swords were at an even level before she balanced the spear onto them and grabbed some meat, stabbing it onto the spear.

"Can someone get me some water?" Violet asked. "I have some tea leaves in my medicine pouch, so I can make us something to drink too!"

"I'll do it..." Tear said, standing up and bowing her head to Violet, who nodded and watched as the young woman walked away.

"Make sure you use something as a holder, otherwise I'll have to burn your hands!" Violet joked and Tear soft laugh resonated in the night air.

"It seems you're opening up a little more..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose as Violet huffed and turned cold once more, turning the meat so it didn't burn.

"I don't care for any of you, nor will I open up to anyone..." Violet said with a harsh bite, touching the meat and continuing to turn it. "My personal matters are mine alone, as is my personality...I will act how I want, so don't judge me..."

"No one said anything about judgement..." Jade informed her, crossing one leg over the other and crossing his arms too. "Now why would you assume such a thing?"

"Because I'm in your custody and I am a criminal...I assumed judgement would be natural..." Violet said, her voice only softening slightly, her eyes hidden as she looked down at the meat.

"No one's going to judge you..." Guy said with a comforting smile as he sat down with his legs crossed. "We've all done things we regret...Right Luke?"

Luke looked at Violet, who refused to meet his eyes, her own eyes a cold lilac. Jade's own eyes narrowed at her sudden lack of manners, she would normally look the noble in the eyes when talking to him, what made this conversation any different?

Did she in fact hold some guilt as to what she did, along with the secret as to why she did it?

A huff from the rich son of Duke Fabre made everyone listen as he glared at his temporary Swords Master. "I don't care what her reasons are, killing isn't alright! It's just sick!"

Violet's soft growl resonated in the air and Jade, for a moment, thought he would have to stop the young woman from adding another victim to her list of muder victims.

However she inhaled and exhaled, before continuing to turn the meat. "Who's first?" She asked as she pulled the meat off and turned to face them, her eyes colder than before and a strong frown fixed onto her features.

"Throw it here!" Guy said with a cheerfulness only he could use in this situation. Violet let a small smile grace her lips and tossed it carefully, watching as Guy caught it and gave her a two finger salute as thanks.

Violet placed another slab of meat onto the spear as Tear returned with a small coconut shell filled with water. "I found a coconut tree a little way away and used the shell to carry water, is that suitable?" She asked.

"Perfect!" Violet exclaimed, turning to Jade. "Can you continue cooking the meat for a second?"

"But of course!" Jade said, standing and walking over to the spear, turning the meat as Violet crouched down over the fire and asked Tear if she could borrow both her scepter and two of her knives.

Once she had taken both the knives and the bladed scepter, she stabbed the knives in the ground and placed the scepter on top, using a very small hook from her medicine pouch and some string to keep the coconut shell hovering over the fire.

"Ha!" She said with a triumphant grin as she searched her pouch. "And I was told off for hoarding all this 'junk!'"

"What, you just take random things and put them in there?" Tear asked, sitting down and watching as Violet pulled out some tea leaves and placed them in the water, which turned brown after a moment.

"Not really...I found both the string and hook in Luke's manor, near the trash, so I assumed they were just junk..." Violet said, shrugging. "But I know most things in this world have use, so I kept them, thinking they might one day come in handy...The amount of times I've pricked my finger on that hook is rediculous..."

She heard Jade chuckle, but ignored it.

"And the tea leaves?" Guy asked, popping a bit of meat into his mouth and chewing slowly, savoring the flavor.

"I bought them in St. Binah, I don't like water on it's own, so I always carry something like this to give my drinks a little flavor! I did have some fruit juice, but I used that on the night we left for Fubras River..."

"The water did have a strange taste to it..." Jade commented, smirking when Violet sent him an annoyed look. "What? I am merely expressing my opinion, is that not allowed?"

"When it's you speaking, no it's not!"

"Now that isn't fair! Respect your elders, I am older than you, after all!"

This peaked everyone's curiosity and they all looked at the older man. "Just how old are you?" Luke asked as Mieu was handed a piece of fruit from Tear, who went and retrieved it for the poor, hungry Cheagle, currently sitting in Ion's lap.

"I am, in fact thirty five..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose, the fire making the lower part of the glasses shine orange in the flame's soft glow.

"Wow, I'm not much younger than you myself..." Violet said, laughing and pulling off the cooked meat. "Who's is this one?" She asked and Luke snatched it from her, making her give him the coldest glare possible.

"Interesting, you don't seem like someone near my own age, due to your sheer tolerance for young master Luke..." Jade said, earning the exact same glare from Luke, except his was more snobby and obnoxious. "Might I inquire your own age?"

"It's not polite to ask a woman her age..." Violet said, smirking and looking at Jade from the corner of her eye, sliding a raw piece of meat onto the spear. "Have you not heard of chivalry, Colonel?"

"I do believe chivalry is dead, Mistress Violet..." Jade said, his voice teasing as Violet flushed and glared at him.

"D-don't call me that, Colonel! It's Violet!"

"And it's Jade...I believe we both have a small issue when it comes to addressing one another..." Jade said, smirking when she huffed and turned back to the meat cooking.

The others were rather shocked, they weren't fighting. Jade was still acting like his usual self, whereas Violet was slightly more calm, even conversing with Jade like she did the others.

It was strange what a little travelling did for some people.

Violet finished making Tear's and Ion's meals then Jade's, however she didn't give it to him right away. "Hold on, I have something here..." She said, searching through her pouch, which was a little overflowing. "Damn I need a bigger pouch..."

She pulled out some strange, light greet herbs and crushed them, sprinkling the fragments on the meat before she handed it over. Jade looked at the herbs curiously and Violet's eyes sharpened.

"Don't look at it like it's got eyes! All I did was add my last few Fonic Arte enhancing herbs to it!" A little red tinted the young woman's cheeks. "I thought it would help with your Fon Slot Seal...If you strengthen your Fonons, maybe you can unlock it faster..."

Jade chuckled and pulled a little of the meat off. "I appreciate your kindness, young Violet..." He said, smirking when her eyes turned cold again. "You're not the cold-hearted warrior I thought you were!"

"Get lost, Necromancer!" Violet seethed, snatching the last of the meat and stabbing it onto the spear, cooking it angrilly, turning it too fast. "That's the last time I help you!"

The night was silent after that, even as Violet handed the tea around, allowing everyone to take a drink before drinking some herself.

Then they all settled down for a nice long sleep, except Jade, who decided to keep watch for any monsters until he could finally sleep himself.

~TotA~

_"Violet run!"_

_"Marko!"_

_"Aaaaghhh!"_

_"MARKO!"_

Violet gasped and shot up, sweat dripping off her fringe as her eyes stayed wide, her grip on the blanket one of terror as she stared ahead, still stuck in her dream, replaying it over, and over again.

"Are you alright?"

The woman shrieked and stood up, pulling out her sword and glaring at the Malkuth soldier before her, who looked back at her with an alert gaze, having seen her panic and made his spear appear, in case she made any sudden movements.

Then it clicked and she lowered her weapon. It was Jade she had drawn her blade to Jade. "S-sorry..." She said, too quiet for anyone else to hear as Jade blinked, his face softening and his lips parting, his teeth locked together. "I-I didn't know it was you..."

"Still dreaming, were you?" Jade asked, making his spear vanish once more. "It's only been an hour since you went to sleep and yet you're already having a nightmare..."

"I-it wasn't a nightmare!" Violet lied, glaring at the older Fonist as he placed both hands behind his back and tilted his chin up, looking down at her with a serious and listening gaze. "There was...A spider in my bed! That's all!"

"And a spider made you draw your sword at me?"

Violet looked away, her eyes much colder as she hid the vulnerability she felt. She had known Jade for about a week and a half and he had already seen through her enough to know she had overwhelming guilt.

Who the hell was this man?!

"Are you going to tell me what's really troubling you?" Jade asked, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"G-get lost! There's nothing wrong, I'm fine!" Violet seethed, re-sheathing her sword as she sat back down on her bed, glaring at the older man. "Just mind your own business until we reach Baticul, alright?"

"No one can help if you don't explain what's bothering you..." Jade told her, walking over to the rock he had previously been sitting on and taking his seat once more. "However, I will not force you, you won't share anything if I push you into it..."

"I won't share anything, full stop! Now leave me alone!" Violet got back under the covers and closed her eyes, hearing a sigh before another bout of guilt washed over her.

She caught the wave and send it rolling back. Why should she care about the Necromancer?! It was obvious he didn't care for her, or anyone!

Sleep nipped at her and she drifted off once more, now no dreams plagued her, an uneventful sleep.

Her favorite.

~TotA~

Another two days passed and they finally reached Kaitzur, seeing young Anise, they stood at the side and listened as she argued with a Malkuth soldier.

"But I lost both my identification and passport!" Anise whined as the soldier looked down at her, a small flicker of sympathy on his face. "Please, let me pass!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you..."

Anise sighed and looked down with defeat, turning and walking away from the soldier, a purely terrifying look on her young features. "You'd better watch your back..."

"Anise, Luke can hear you!"

Anise hummed and turned when she heard Ion's voice, seeing all her friends in front of her. Well, all her friends and Violet. "Oh, my prince!" Anise cried out, lunging at Luke and latching herself onto his waist. "Master Luke, I'm so happy you're safe!"

Guy stepped back with a look of fear. "Women are scary..." He said and Violet smirked, walking up to Guy and doing the same as Anise, latching to his waist.

"What was that, Guy?" She cooed, her voice in mock sweetness that creeped everyone out a little. All except Jade, obviously.

"L-let go, V-Violet!" Guy begged, trembling as she smirked and gave him a squeeze, before letting go, dusting off her hands as Guy hit the floor, unconscious and shaking like someone had electrocuted him.

Jade's smile widened and he pushed his glasses up his nose, having enjoyed the brief moment of torture Violet had given to Guy. "Anise, the letter is safe too, isn't it?" He asked, turning to the young Fon Master Guardian.

"Ah, Colonel! Of course!" Anise said brightly, pointing to Tokunaga's little bag. "I have it here!"

"Thank you Anise!" Ion said with deep gratitude. "It was hard, wasn't it?"

Anise laughed and spread her arms out childishly. "I'm glad you're safe too, Master Ion!"

"By the way..." Tear said, interrupting the reunion, Violet now standing a couple of steps away from Guy, who relaxed at the distance. "How will we pass the checkpoint? Neither Luke, Violet nor I have passports..."

"Actually!" Violet said, rummaging through her overflowing medicine pouch, pulling out a passport and dropping bits of junk on the floor. "I have one, how do you think I got from Engeve to Baticul to train Master Luke?"

"Oh, you're just full of surprises!" Jade said cheerfully and Violet gave him a glare.

"You'll be full of holes if I ever get the chance to kick your ass!"

"Now, now, violence is unbecoming of a young woman such as yourself..."

"Don't use that, 'I'm older so I'm wiser' crap on me! I'm not much younger than you myself!"

Jade smirked and Violet was about to bite his head off, when Guy interrupted, it was becoming a quick routine that one of the other members of the group intervene to stop Violet killing the older Colonel. "It seems we won't have to worry about Luke and Tear not having passports! Someone has come to get us!" He said, making everyone turn to see a familiar face crossing the border.

Violet straightened up and Jade arched a brow curiously, what had changed in that brief moment? However Luke took everyone's attention as he pushed Anise away and ran towards the older man. "Master Van!" He said excitedly.

"Van!" However he froze as Tear's angered voice filled the air and she ran towards Van, stopping just a few feet away, her weapon poised to strike.

"Tear, put your weapon away..." Van said, his tone calming, he didn't want to fight. "This is a misunderstanding..."

"A misunderstanding?"

Violet's eyes widened as Jade walked closer to Tear and spoke with a bright and cheerful tone. "Tear, I'd rather you didn't cause a commotion here..."

Van looked over his shoulder at the two soldiers stepping closer and muttering about trouble and Tear sighed, lowering her weapon.

Violet took this opportunity to walk over to Van and bow her head with respect. "Commandant Van...My apologies for being away so long, I was careless and was swept up in the hyperresonance..."

"There's no need to apologize, Brave..." Van said, holding out his hand in a formal handshake. "It was good that you went with them, I trust you kept Luke from harm?"

"Yes, I kept a close eye on the young master, just as you would have..." Violet said, taking his hand and both of them squeezed, before letting go. "I shall continue to protect Master Luke until we return, then I shall hand the title of Swords Master back to you..."

"Thank you, I will find some way to reward you for your time..."

"No need, I don't need rewarding..." Violet said, giving one last bow of the head before she turned and walked towards the Inn, tired and wanting to get a shower.

It had been a week since her last soak, she had trudged through water and mud and she smelled like the Fubras River and monster blood.

It wasn't pleasant.

~TotA~

Violet sighed as she left the bathroom, dressed in a fluffy white dressing gown as she left her battle suit and underclothes to dry against the Fifth Fonstone used as a heating system for the room.

She had spent about ten minutes soaking, her baths may never last long, but she always made sure she was clean before she came out.

Violet hummed softly as she took a fluffy towel and roughed up her hair, rubbing the towel all around her scalp to remove the moisture from the strands of white she was born with.

"I wonder if King Ingobert knows about my real name?" Violet said to herself, looking up at the fonstone on the ceiling as she halted the towel. "Commandant Van didn't seem to know, so I highly doubt it..."

Violet shook the thought from her head with a chuckle and closed her eyes, continuing the towel's movements. "I wonder if Duke and Duchess Fabre will be happy to see me?"

She draped the towel over her shoulders and walked from the room, messy haired and clad in only a bathrobe. She walked up to the room that Ion and the others were currently occupying and knocked on the door.

"Come in..." Van's voice echoed, muffled by the wooden barrier hiding one room from another.

Violet opened the door and walked into the room, closing it behind her and walking up to Jade's chair, standing behind it. "Continue, don't stop for my benefit...I will be able to piece the parts I missed together..." She said, crossing both arms over the top of Jade's chair and listening intently.

Ion nodded and turned his head to Van. "Mohs is wishing for a war, and I couldn't overlook this fact..." He said, finishing what he had previously been explaining.

"I see...So that's why you disappeared from the cathedral in Daath?" Van said, confirming Violet's thoughts as she tried to piece it together.

"I'm sorry, Van...My arbitrary decision must have caused you trouble..."

"No, don't worry about me...I'm more concerned about the God-Generals actions-"

Suddenly Tear pushed from from the wall and interrupted Van mid-sentence. "You're the one who sent them, weren't you? Why are you getting in the way of Fon Master Ion's peace attempts?"

"Hey! Don't treat Master like that!" Luke barked, leaning forward with anger as Violet's hand twitched on the top of Jade's chair, causing the older Fonist's eyes to narrow slightly.

Something about the way Luke was defending Van was bothering the Swords Master behind him.

"It's alright, Luke..." Van said, raising his hand to stop the boy's angry tone. "It can't be helped if she see's things that way...The God-Generals may be my subordinates, but they're part of the Grand Maestro faction...They're likely to be moving under Grand Maestro Mohs' orders..."

"That can't be!" Tear barked, defending her boss as Violet sighed and rested her chin on her arms, her hair tickling Jade's forehead. "Grand Maestro Mohs really wishes for peace! That's why he left the search up to me-"

Tear stopped and closed her fist over her chest, looking away from the group. "What proof do you have that you're not Mohs' spy?" Luke asked and Tear turned further away, stammering as she tried to come up with an answer to justify herself.

"The thing the Grand Maestro is having you search for..." Van started, looking at Tear from the corner of his eye. "Is it the Seventh Fonstone?"

Everyone but Luke made a noise of shock and looked at Tear. "The Seventh Fonstone..." Luke repeated, then made himself out to be an idiot. "What's that?"

Ion had an awkward smile on his face and Anise made a noise of the same emotion, her face portraying her disbelieve. Jade covered his mouth with his fist and cleared his throat, forcing back several insults, Violet was laughing with her fingers coiled into her fringe and Guy whispered about Luke having a sheltered life.

"What's with that face?" Luke asked, glaring at all of them as Violet wiped her eyes, exhaling the last of her laughter. "Are you making fun of me?"

Jade's cough resounded and Violet whacked the back of his head lightly, a small warning about what she would do if he tried to say anything sarcastic this close to her.

The Necromancer only chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose, said glasses having slid down at her painless blow.

"It's the Score the founder Yulia read two thousand years ago..." Tear explained, being the only one aside from Van who didn't react to Luke's curiosity. "The world's future is written on it..."

"This was a very long Score!" Ion said brightly, smiling as he explained the Score. "So its fonstone was as big as a mountain! It was destroyed a long time ago, and some of it became the fon belt you can see in the sky, while the rest fell down on the earth!"

"Malkuth and Kimlasca are both fighting over the ones that fell down, and that even led to a war!" Anise said, taking over after Ion, her voice more cheerful than the others. "As long as you have the fonstone, you can learn the world's future!"

"The Seventh Fonstone is also said to have been hidden by Yulia after she read it..." Jade said, his turn to explain. "Because of that, various influential people are searching for it..."

"And Tear is searching for that thing?" Luke asked, looking at Tear who looked away, giving an answer that didn't tell them jack all. "Who knows..."

"Anyway..." Van said, taking over the conversation once more. "I don't have anything to do with Grand Maestro Mohs..."

"Of course!" Luke said, his smile cheerful, not a sliver of disrespect in his voice, unlike when he spoke to his other Swords Master. "Master only came to pick me up!"

Violet huffed and rolled her eyes, turning to leave the room. "I'm going to order something to eat, does anyone want anything specific, or do I just order something filling?"

Luke was the only one who wanted something expensive and Violet glared at him as she left the room. "Dammit, that means all the Gald I had left will be wasted on his dinner..." She muttered, walking towards her room to change, there was no way she was ordering dinner in a bathrobe.

"Sometimes I just want to slap some sense into that kid..."

~TotA~

Violet tossed and turned in her sleep, the blanket coiling and knotting around her as a look of sheer terror twisted her once relaxed features.

The same dream as before plaguing her over and over, the same lines repeated time and time again without fail, without ever leaving her alone.

She shrieked and shot up, panting hard as she stared at the wall, shaking like a leaf, her cold eyes now wide with frightening terror as she tried to calm her breathing.

"A-again?" She asked, raising her hands and staring at them as they trembled, her body filled with frightened adrenaline. "Th-that awful dream again? Nine years and it won't leave me alone!"

Violet made a noise of anger, her eyes stinging as tears threatened to fill them. "Dammit, stop haunting me! Just leave me alone!"

The tossed the covers off and stood up, grabbing her battle suit and slipping it on before she went to open the door, seeing her hand still shaking in the process.

_"Do you want my ice cream?"_

_"Wh-why would you...?"_

_"Because we're the same! We shouldn't have to feel lonely!"_

Violet cursed and shook her head, clenching her fist before she opened the door and walked out. She had no idea Jade was hidden around the corner, having woken up at her scream.

The young Swords Master walked down the stairs and walked out, her bare feet trudging on the grass just outside the Inn.

She looked up at the sky and saw the fon belt glittering softly in the moonlight. She sighed and climbed the tree, ignoring the flickers of pain she felt in her feet as she got to a strong branch and leaned against it, lying on it like a lounge chair with her arms crossed and one leg crossed over the other.

"A murderer has a right to suffer for her sins..." Violet muttered to herself, closing her eyes and lowering her head as the memory of her angry murders flickered before her closed eyelids.

Jade stood by the door, looking at Violet with a serious expression, his eyes narrowed as he watched her. She truly regretted murdering those people, yet she refuses to justify why she did so.

Just who is Violet Brave Moon?

Violet opened her eyes and looked up at the full moon, exhaling softly, her eyes going back to their usual cold expression. She didn't like showing weakness, so in the morning, she would act like she did every time she had a nightmare.

She would pretend it never happened.

She heard someone clear their throat and looked down with a hum, spotting Jade below her, looking up at her with his usual smile.

"It's a little early for a walk, is it not?" Jade asked and Violet huffed and closed her eyes, ignoring his words. "After all, nightmares can wear a person out!"

Violet's entire form stiffened before she shot Jade a violent glare, something she had only ever done once before, the night she had almost attacked him. "Get lost! I am not having nightmares!" She snarled, standing up and jumping from the branch, ignoring the pain she felt when stones dug into her bare feet.

Jade watched with a small frown as Violet closed her eyes and walked around him and into the Inn, leaving him to contemplate her personality and fears by himself.

~TotA~

The next morning everyone was on the move, one by one they handed their passports to the Malkuth soldiers and walked down the long path to Kaitzur's naval port, the Kimlascan part of the border.

"Is that your country over there, Master?" Mieu asked and Violet's small smile returned at the thought of finally being free of her crimes, to be able to walk around without fear of being captured and executed.

"I'm finally going home!" Luke said with cheer as Violet chuckled, smirking at the young master.

"Don't forget about the ferry, Master Luke! From here it'll take two weeks to reach Baticul!" Violet informed the young master.

Luke made a noise of complaint and made a face to match. "It is still so far away?"

They all walked past the Kimlascan border and Mieu spoke with excitement. "It's the first time the sea and a ship! I'm so happy!"

Luke growled and turned to Mieu with yet another annoyed expression. "You're loud, just be quiet for a while-"

Suddenly an explosion went off and they all looked up to see smoke coming from the dock. "Oh crap! That's where the ship is!" Violet exclaimed, running towards the explosion before anyone could react.

Jade and the others followed behind and spotted Violet in a sea of unconscious engineers and knights, trying to rouse some of them to consciousness.

"They beat us to it!" Jade said, looking around at the damaged buildings and the flaming ship, bellowing tonnes of black and toxic smoke from the embers covering it.

"Hey, hang in there!" Guy said, crouching down and shaking a knight, who was just clinging to consciousness. "Who the hell...?"

"M-Monsters attacked us..." The man said, looking up with struggle as Violet cursed and stood up.

"Dammit, can't we ever catch a break?" She asked, unaware of the beast coming towards her until the others called to her and she hummed, turning and shrieking as a claw grabbed her shoulder and she was carried into the air. "I had to open my big mouth!"

"Violet!" Jade shouted as the flying monster carrying Violet stopped and the person riding it looked down at them, another, unconscious person held in the other claw of the massive bird.

It was Arietta. "She was on the Tartarus..." Luke confirmed as Anise stepped forward with angry and annoyed eyes.

"Gloomietta! Why are you doing this?!" Anise shouted up and this seemed to be a sore spot for Arietta as she shouted back, angry herself.

"I am _not_ gloomy! Anise you're so mean!"

"Arietta!" Van shouted, taking a step forward as Violet thrashed around, trying to get loose from the flying monster's strong grip. "Who told you to do this?!"

"Commandant, I'm sorry!" Arietta said, flinching back, thinking really highly of Van at that moment. "Asch asked me to do it!"

Van gasped.

"I'm taking the engineer who can repair the ship with me..." Arietta continued. "And the girl with the strange frequency...We need her power!"

Jade was the one who gasped this time as he stepped forward, his eyes wide. "You don't mean-?"

"We're going to extract her Fonons..."

"You mustn't!" Jade called up, trying to talk reason to the young girl, who was obviously having doubts about this. "If you extract her Fonons-"

"If you want them back, Luke and Fon Master Ion must come to Choral Castle!" Arietta interrupted and Violet began to panic.

"Jade! Jade what does she mean?!" Violet called down, eyes wide and sweat sliding down her cheek as she flailed. "What will happen if they extract my Fonons?!"

Jade tsked and made his spear appear, seeing no other choice as he reared his arm back to throw it like a javelin, however Arietta turned and flew off before he had a chance.

They all watched as the monster flew out of sight and Jade relaxed, making his spear vanish once more.

They had to save her.

~TotA~

"What do you mean we won't help?!" Tear asked, shocked at her brother's words.

"I can't endanger Fon Master Ion, or Luke..." Van said and Jade stood there, arms behind his back, contemplating a plan of action. He had no interest in letting Violet's Fonons be extracted.

"But, but!" Anise said, straightening up with her usual child-like stubbornness. "The only one who can repair the ship is that engineer who's been taken away!"

"Plus, Violet is in danger too!" Guy added in, placing a hand on his hip. "We shouldn't just abandon her, it's not right!"

"A training ship is going to return to port soon..." Van said, looking down at Anise. "You can use that to go back home..."

"But that would mean ignoring Arietta's demands!" Ion said, stepping forward, he, like Guy, didn't want Violet or the engineer to be in danger.

"Isn't preventing the war your priority?" Van asked as Jade listened intently. Was Violet's life not important to him? "I will take care of Arietta...I'd like you to wait here for the ship to come..."

Van turned and left without another word and Jade pushed his glasses up his nose, closing his eyes as he thought of the process of extraction.

"What will happen to Violet and the kidnapped man?" Mieu asked, looking up at Luke with hope in his eyes. He didn't want either of them to be hurt. "Won't you go help them?"

"Quiet, you!" Luke said, spitting his words at Mieu. "Master Van said he would take care of it, so we can just leave it to him!"

Jade's eyes narrowed, did this boy not care for Violet at all?

However the older Fonist hummed and everyone turned as the door opened and two workmen ran in. "Fon Master Ion!" The one with grey/black hair said. "We beg you!"

Then the one with blonde hair spoke. "Please use your power and save our chief!"

"He was relieved when his birth score for this year said that a big disaster would be avoided!"

"Please do something!"

"I understand..." Ion said, and both engineers sighed with relief.

"Are you sure about this?" Jade asked, already having made up his mind about whether he would go or not. However the Fon Master wasn't in the best of health, and it was unwise for him to go.

"I'll talk with Arietta and try to convince her to release the hostage and Violet!"

"I'll go with you!" Tear said, stepping forward.

"That's surprising..." Luke said, entwining his hands on the back of his head. "Coming from such a cold-hearted woman..."

"Letting someone who's Score read that disaster would be avoided die would be the same as disregarding the Score..." Tear explained. "It would go against Yulia's teachings...Besides..." Tear trailed off, speaking the last word silently.

"Besides?" Luke urged, having heard her silent word, Tear looked up with a little shock then looked away with a frown.

"Nothing..."

The silence stretched for about half a second before Anise spoke with strength. "If Master Ion's going, then of course I'm going too!"

"I'm going too!" Guy said, pointing his thumb at himself as he spoke with an air of seriousness, even with Luke's sudden shock at the servant's ignorance to Van's words. "I'm curious about the destination, Choral Castle..."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked.

"It's the place where Violet found you when you were kidnapped, seven years ago..."

Luke's eyes widened as he made a noise of shock, he couldn't remember the day of his kidnapping, even the doctors couldn't explain that, they had called it a 'side-effect' to the amnesia, but they didn't sound too sure.

"Then I'm coming too!" Luke said, gripping the helm of his sword. "There's no way everyone is going but me!"

~TotA~

Violet screamed as she felt like she was being attacked by Jade's Indignation, jolts of Fonons going through her, gathering and ripping her own Fonons out from inside her body.

"Oh, this is rather surprising!" A man said, smiling at the screen, he had pink/white hair, small blackcurrant colored eyes and a pair of rounded glasses on his nose. "She has slightly more Fonons than the human body usually has!"

"Wh-what are you doing to m-me?!" Violet ground out, thrashing in the circular capsule she had been hooked up to, she couldn't get out as the door was locked on the outside and with her Fonons being extracted, she couldn't bring up the strength to lift even one finger.

"Why, I'm extracting your Fonons!" The man said brightly, smiling at her with a sadistic edge, like he didn't actually care for her life, only for his own personal gains. "It's a painful process and it'll only get worse, so make sure you keep those lungs nice and clear, because you will be screaming!"

"Y-you sadistic...B-bastard!" Violet snarled and the man seemed to explode after that.

"I AM NOT A BASTARD! My name is Dist the Rose! Remember it well, Girlie!" Dist sneered, before turning up the strength of the extraction, grinning cruelly as her screams filled the air.

~TotA~

Mieu whimpered as he and the entire group stood outside of Choral Castle, the rundown old building sending chills down almost all of their spines.

Except for Jade, obviously.

"This place looks creepy..." Mieu whined, looking around at the castle.

"Choral Castle was Duke Fabre's vacation home..." Guy said as he stared out at the abandoned castle. "During the previous war, the frontlines of battle came too close, so he abandoned it..." Then he turned to Luke and spoke more quietly. "You didn't have to come too, you know..."

"Why not?" Luke asked, just as quietly. "I might be able to remember something after seeing it for myself..."

Suddenly Anise grabbed Luke's waist again and Guy jumped back, the girl having come too close. "Master Luke, I feel so sorry for you! I'll help you find your memories!"

"Quiet!" Jade commanded seriously, his tone still level and his senses on full alert. "We don't know where the enemy is..."

"Yeah, yeah..." Luke said without care as he entwined his fingers on the back of his head. "The enemies are the Six God-Generals, right? Do you think they're all here, and what kind of people are they?"

"The ones we met on the Tartarus were...Legretta the Quick, Arietta the Wild and Largo the Black Lion..." Jade said, confirming the ones they had already encountered, finding them the easiest to explain. "Then there's Sync the Tempest and Dist the Reaper..."

"What about the one who attacked us on the bridge? I wasn't able to see his face..." Luke asked, counting another as Jade had only explained five of them.

Jade pushed his glasses up his nose and held the band as the light bounced off them and rendered his eyes unseen. "That would be...Asch the Bloody..."

"They're all powerful, so we have to be careful..." Tear said and Jade nodded, turning and walking to the doors of the castle, placing both hands against one door and Guy did the same with the other, both of them pushing slowly, so very little noise was made.

Once that was done, Jade stepped in first and looked around. The coast was clear and they all walked inside, Luke looking at everything in case he sparked a memory.

"Well?" Guy asked, looking back at Luke, who was walking behind him. "Remember anything?"

"Ah, no..." Luke said, a small, disappointing laugh in his words. "Nothing at all..."

There was a squeak and Anise looked down, a mouse running between her legs. She used this as an oportunity and cried out, diving for the red haired noble. "Master Luke~!" She called as she miscalculated and grabbed Guy instead.

Guy froze with a gasp as a face flashed across his vision, a woman falling on him. "S-stop!" He cried out and began to thrash around, managing to knock Anise off of him and hold his head, fear making his body tremble as Anise landed on her backside.

"Wh-what?" Anise muttered as she sat there, staring at Guy, who regained his senses.

"Guy!" Luke shouted and Guy straightened up, looking ahead with shock in his features.

"I..." Guy started, unsure what to say as he replayed what had happened in his head, over and over, unsure what caused such a reaction.

"That was more violent than usual..." Jade pointed out, his eyes narrowing as he became curious. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry..." Guy muttered, looking at Anise as Ion helped her to her feet. "My body just reacted on it's own..."

"Did something happen?" Ion asked, looking back at Guy once Anise was on her feet. "I don't think it's just a simple dislike of women..."

"I don't know..." Guy said, trying to explain what his condition was like. "I wasn't like this when I was a child..." He looked down and a solemn expression covered his face. "But there's a moment missing from my memory, so...That might be the cause..."

"You have amnesia too?" Luke asked, cocking his head to the side with curiosity, how come Guy had never mentioned this before?

"It's different...I think...It's only an instant that's missing..."

Tear stepped forward, a question in mind. "How do you know it's only an instant?" She asked.

"I just do..." Guy said, looking up at the ceiling as he replayed up to that instant and then a blank space filled where memory was supposed to take over. "It's the moment my family died, after all..."

Everyone gasped and Mieu whimpered and looked down, away from everyone. "Guy..." Luke breathed, stepping forward, only to feel a strong gust of wind and look up.

A flying Monster shot down and grabbed the young noble, flying high into the air while he demanded to be put down. Guy ran towards the stairs in an attempt to save Luke, but a familiar yellow Liger carrying Arietta landed on the stairs, stopping all advances.

"I can't let you pass..." Arietta said, her tone still bland, a small, sad frown on her face.

"Gloomietta!" Anise called and both Arietta and Guy looked over as Anise placed Tokunaga on the floor and a Fonic Glyph surrounded her, causing the doll to increase in size until Anise could climb on the bag on it's back and it moved at will.

"What the...?" Guy gasped and Tear ran to the stairs to help with Arietta.

"She seems to be a puppeteer!" Tear explained.

"What kind of Fon Machine is that?"

Anise glared at Arietta and pointed at her with a demanding tone to her voice. "Give us back Master Luke, Violet and the hostage!" She called before lunging at Arietta on her puppet, only to be knocked back by another monster, landing hard on the ground. "Ouch! You're horrible, Arietta!"

"You're the one who's horrible, Anise!" Arietta barked, holding her strange doll a little tighter as she sat on her Liger's back. "You took my Fon Master Ion away from me!"

"Arietta, that's not it!" Ion said, stepping forward in fear of anyone getting hurt. "That's not the reason you were demoted from being a Fon Master Guardian!"

"And those people are horrible too!" Arietta continued, as if not hearing Ion's words. "They killed my mommy!"

Tear made a noise of shock and confusion as Arietta continued. "Mommy went to live in the Cheagle Woods after her home was burned down..."

Mieu gasped.

"Mommy only wanted to protect her children...My brothers and sisters!"

Tear gasped as it clicked, however she had to confirm her suspicions before making any rash accusations. "Can she be...Talking about the Liger Queen?"

It turns out Tear's suspicions were correct as Fon Master Ion answered. "She lost her parents during the Hod War, and was then raised by monsters..."

Tear's next gasp was of both shock and horror as she remembered the incident where they killed both the Liger Queen and the babies.

"Mommy's revenge!" Arietta shouted, raising her hand as monsters surrounded the group. All of them different, but each of them powerful in their own way.

"Oh dear..." Jade said as he made a slash of Fonons appear between his palms and grabbed them, causing them to dissipate and reveal his spear. "I'm used to people resenting me, but..." He trailed off and readied himself to strike any monsters that attack first.

"We, too, can't lose this battle..." Guy said, taking his sword and pulling it from his sheathe, preparing to fight alongside the others.

This was going to be messy when they had two fighters unaccounted for.

~TotA~

Violet continued to scream as her Fonons were reaching a critically low level, her skin almost white and dark circles beneath her eyes. Pain filled her mind and form and she had lost focus in the world around her, too busy trying to keep herself from losing consciousness to care.

Dist was too busy checking Luke's data as he lay there, just beginning to come back to consciousness, having been knocked out by the flying monster before arriving.

"I see!" Dist called, excitement filling his voice as he pressed the keyboard rather flamboyantly. "To think that even the Fonon Frequency is the same...This one is perfect!"

"I don't care about that..." A boy with green hair said, standing at the machine Luke was laying on and pressing different keys to keep the machine active and making sure he collected the data too. "We have to erase the data before they come here..."

"If this data is that important to you, you could have just stopped Asch!"

"A-Asch?!" Violet gasped, remembering the face she had seen on the Tartarus, she had thought about that face time and time again, and every time she would get more and more confused.

"That fool decided to do it all by himself..." The boy said, a mask covering his eyes. "Oh..." He looked to see that Luke was now fully conscious. "It seems that this idiot here is waking up..."

"L-Luke!" Violet shouted, grinding out the words as she forced one of her eyes to open, only able to see shapes, at this point, only able to focus enough maybe once or twice to make out Luke in the blur of colors. "D-don't worry! You're going to be fine!"

"Shut up!" Dist hissed at Violet, annoyed by her voice alone. "I'm sick of hearing that ignorant, hopeful tone of your's!"

"U-up your's, Asshole!"

"A-asshole?!" Dist gasped, growling and turning up the dial, strengthening the extraction to maximum, Violet's screams coming back full force.

She had half an hour, tops before her Fonon Extraction would be complete and she would die.

Fear surged through her and she hoped to dear God she would get out of this alive.

~TotA~

The fight was going strong as Jade slashed a monster and it fell to the floor, dead, Guy killing a monster by cutting it in half behind the older Fonist, causing Arietta to cover her mouth in horror.

"Guy, go on ahead!" Jade called up, knowing that Violet was probably near death. With the time it took to get here and to get rid of these monsters, there was a chance they might not make it in time.

"Yeah!" Guy said, taking off in a sprint up the stairs.

"No!" Arietta yelled and her Liger ran at the man, with her on its back.

"Gloomietta, out of the way!" Anise shouted, standing on Tokunaga's back as it jumped towards Arietta, slamming it's large, stuffed paw into both her and her Liger, knocking them both out and making them both land hard on the ground.

Jade walked towards Arietta, the light shielding his eyes from view as he stopped in front of her and lifted his spear, switching the way his hand was holding it and pointing the blade at her head, preparing to stab her through the skull to stop her coming after them again.

"Please wait, Jade!" Ion begged, holding out his hand, not wanting to see Arietta die. Jade pushed his glasses up his nose and lowered his weapon, smiling back at Ion.

"I thought you'd say that!" He said brightly, knowing Ion would stop him, almost like he had no intentions of killing Arietta in the first place.

Ion sighed with a small smile and Jade made his spear disappear. "Come on, we should catch up with Guy! If we don't hurry, but Luke and Violet's lives could be at risk!" He said, turning and running over and up the staircase, the others following behind with urgency.

Would they make it in time?

~TotA~

Dist smirked and took the fondisc as it was ejected from the machine, it's casing blue as he waited silently for the fondisc holding Violet's data.

Violet was no longer screaming, but she was still conscious, only slightly, making weak noises of pain as she felt her exhaustion peaking, she wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer.

Dist ignored her as the machine powered down and he took the disc out of the ejector, smirking at the red casing. He had used two different casings so he wouldn't mix them up.

"I've opened all his synchronized Fon Slots..." Dist said as he floated up to the green haired boy in that freaky chair of his. "I'll be leaving now...I want to analyze this data as soon as I can!" A laugh escaped the creepy man as he flew off.

Luke tried to raise his head and spoke with a hoarse voice. "What the hell...Did you...?" He asked, unable to finish, but knew the boy understood what he was asking.

"I don't have to answer you..." The boy said, smirking as he took a disc from the machine itself, not wanting to keep any evidence of what they had done.

However just as he took the disc he heard footsteps and turned just in time to see Guy swing his sword, knocking off the boy's mask and causing the disc to fly through the air, caught effortlessly by the servant.

However Guy was shocked by the boy's face and spoke with the same shock in his voice. "You're...!"

Suddenly the others ran in and the boy cursed and muttered something to himself. "Damn! I'm forbidden to come into contact with him!" Covering his face, he turned and ran, not even going to pick up his mask first.

"Wait!" Guy shouted as the others ran over, making sure Luke was alright first. Violet was tough, none of them doubted she would still be alive, especially since they could hear a slow bleeping on the heart monitor.

"What was that...?" Luke hissed as he sat up and stroked his aching forehead.

"Luke!" Guy gasped, turning as the others stopped by the machine.

"Master!" Mieu cried out in fear.

"Master Luke, I was so worried!" Anise cried out too, looking rather relieved that the noble was alright.

"Luke, are you alright?" Tear asked, concern leaking into her voice.

"Yeah, I think so..." Luke said, both hands on the place he was sitting as he finally felt his senses returning and the headache fading. "What did they want from me?" He looked at where the boy had ran off to.

Jade's face warped from curiosity into a look of mild horror, the first time any of them had seen such an expression. "This is...!" He gasped, staring up at the machine as Guy walked over.

"It's rare to see you so upset like this!" Guy commented, stopping at his side, the older Fonist turning his head to look at the younger Swordsman. "Do you know what this thing is?"

Jade looked down with a frown as he spoke. "No, without confirmation, I can't..." He said, then his eyes narrowed as his face warped into a look that would have worried all of them if they could have seen it. He looked upset, and this was the first time he had shown it. 'No...Even if I could confirm it...'

"By the way..." Guy said, getting Jade's attention once more looking at Guy curiously. "This is a fondisc those guys left behind..." The blonde Swordsman said, holding a blue disc out for Jade to take. "It could be some kind of clue..."

Jade took the disc and looked at it, before smiling. "I see..." He said, looking back at Guy. "Let's get it analyzed, then...But first..." He turned and began to walk down the steps, putting the disc in his pocket as he stared at the capsule Violet was trapped inside. "Shall we help Violet?"

The others watched, worry sticking to their faces like glue as Jade walked to the capsule and looked Violet over. She wasn't conscious, that he could see, and the machine confirmed she was alive by the slow beep of the heart monitor.

"Now then, only one person could have made this device..." Jade said to himself as he turned to the controls and began to type quickly, knowing that Violet was still in danger, even if she was tough. "It should be simple to unlock, he was never all that good at security..."

Sudden steam bellowed from the door as it slowly opened and Violet fell out, caught by Jade before she could it the floor.

"Is she alright?" Tear asked as Guy made a noise of discomfort, only ever seeing Violet look this vulnerable when she had been stabbed over a week ago.

"She should be fine, if we let her rest..." Jade said, adjusting her so he could carry her comfortably. "I can't say the same for my back..." His tone turned teasing. "All this work isn't good for an old man like myself!"

The others sighed and they all left, hoping to return and board the boat by tomorrow, seeing as they couldn't go anywhere with an unconscious Violet.

~TotA~

Jade walked into the inn while the engineer was being welcomed back by his crew, having to take Violet straight there in case being moved constantly worsened her state.

The Necromancer placed her on the covers carefully and gave her a once over, to make sure she had no injuries or any signs of fatal weakness.

Since she was in his custody, this was routine when the prisoner was injured in a battle without having started the fight themselves.

Jade noticed three long vertical scars going over her left eye and down just below her chin. He would have to ask her about those when she woke up, however other than that, she didn't have any other injuries.

The Colonel stood up and placed his hands behind his back as he left the room, telling the guard not to disturb her under any circumstances.

He had to inform the others that they would not be leaving until morning and that Violet only suffered minor injuries. She was actually very lucky to be alive with such a low amount of Fonons left inside of her.

What use did the God-Generals have for her Fonons, despite the strange reading, there was no difference between her Fonons and the other Seventh Fonons.

Was there? If only there had been a copy of her fondisc too, then he could research it intently and figure out whether or not her Fonons were actually important.

~TotA~

Violet groaned as she felt her consciousness returning, the world swirling when she opened her eyes, unable to focus yet due to her long sleep.

"Wh...What...?" She started, unable to move all that well at the moment. "What...Happened?"

She wasn't able to ask anything else as her eyes drifted closed once more and she fell back into her subconscious, her head lolled to the side as she had tried to look around and her lips parted, teeth locked together as she slept again.

Jade looked at her from his seat next to her desk, his frown deepening at how weak she was and how she hadn't even had the sense of mind to know he was there.

Just how many Fonons did she have left?

~TotA~

Violet tossed and turned in her sleep, her dream the same, the faces that haunted her continuing to look at her like she had done the wrong, the faces of the people she killed.

The woman gasped and her eyes snapped opened, the ceiling the only thing she could see. "Wh-where am I?" She asked, not even partially remembering waking up earlier.

It was dark, and silent as she sat up and looked around, noticing that everyone else was sleeping too.

Wait...

Where was Jade?

"Nightmares again I presume?"

Violet jumped with a gasp and spun to face the corner, Jade leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, a shadow making his face look dangerous as his eyes only just showed in the darkness. "They have continued to plague you since you murdered those soldiers, correct?"

"Get lost, Necromancer!" Violet hissed, glaring at Jade with her lilac eyes, one scarred with the slashes of some form of beast. "I don't have nightmares and I don't need help!"

"Then would you at least explain your scars?"

Violet froze and lifted her hand, stroking her fingers over the smooth scars covering one of her cheeks. A small glimmer of sadness shined in her eyes, but was dismissed only a second after showing.

It was still long enough for Jade to notice and take note of.

"I managed to escape the monster carrying me to Choral Castle..." Violet said, looking at Jade as she dropped her hand into her lap. "However Arietta's pet Liger chased after me and managed to slash my cheek...I managed to heal the damage before I became permanently blind, but because of that I didn't see the Liger attack me, so I was captured again...I woke up in the capsule..."

"Can you see me perfectly?" Jade asked, uncrossing his arms and walking towards her, the moonlight illuminating his features as he got closer. "Would you mind if I take a look?"

"Why so caring, Colonel?" She asked with suspicion, not trusting the act of kindness Jade was showing.

"I am merely in charge of your health..." Jade said as he stopped beside her. "If you were to become blind, injured or even pehaps died, I would be held responsible..."

Violet glared at Jade as he sighed and took her chin in his hand, tilting her head up so the light shined in her eyes, allowing him to get a clear look at them.

Both eyes were focused and clear, she could see from both eyes it seemed and she didn't seem to be suffering from her lack of Fonons any more.

"Get some rest..." Jade said with a bright smile as he turned and walked towards the door, going to leave the Inn. "We'll be leaving for Baticul in the morning..."

Violet watched as the Colonel left and she sighed, lifting her fingers to her scars once more, the frown on her features deepening as she stroked them.

Jade's eyes narrowed as he looked at her softened sadness, before turning and walking away.

Was she really as cold as she made out to be?

~TotA~

The next morning, the boat had been repaired to the point of operational and the entire group stood outside, in front of said boat.

Van was scolding Ion and Luke, having not had the time before. "That was quite reckless of you Fon Master Ion...You as well, Luke...Do you know how much you made me worry?"

"I'm sorry, Van..." Ion said, looking up and meeting the Swords Master's eyes, Violet standing a little away from the group with her arms crossed.

"Sorry, Master..." Luke mumbled and Van smiled, seeing that Luke had learned his lesson as he walked over and put his hand on his student's shoulder.

"Shall we go home, then, Luke?" Van asked and Luke raised his head with a bright and cheerful expression.

"Yes!"

Jade stroked his chin as he pondered what he had seen in Choral Castle and Violet's eyes narrowed, everyone in the group having some sort of strange moment of solemn and silent thinking.

Violet looked up at the sky with a soft, unheard sigh. Why did Asch's face haunt her now? She hadn't stopped thinking about it since she had heard Dist say it in Choral Castle.

Jade was still thinking about the machine he had seen in the same location. Guy was looking down with a frown, thinking about that boy's face from before, just who was he?!

Right now, everyone's thoughts were different, but they had a job to do, and they all pushed it back and boarded the vessel.

Violet groaned.

Oh great, a two week trip on a boat with a group of people she hated.

What joy.

* * *

**A/N: I had to change a lot during the proof reading, there was probably about another four paragraphs at least, but I had to remove them because it was either irrelevant, or too much information at once. I'm trying to spread it out over time, so there are some mysteries, and you'll just have to wait and see what happens! XD**

**Please review, all comments and advice are appreciated and welcome! I take your criticism and I will in turn, think about what you've said and accept any and all forms of reviews.**


	5. Chapter 5: Chosen Hero

**Chapter 5 - Chosen Hero**

* * *

**A/N: OH MY GOD, I FINALLY FINISHED IT!**

**I HAVE REWRITTEN THIS CHAPTER TWICE!**

**I do not own Tales of the Abyss!**

**I do however own Violet Brave Moon, please ask permission before using her.**

**I'm sorry this took a while, I have terrible writer's block, which I am slowly getting over. This had to be rewritten twice because everything I wrote just sounded awful to me.**

**WARNING: CHAPTER CONTAINS DANGEROUS AMOUNTS OF DIST, PLEASE READ RESPONSIBLY.**

**Ha ha ha ha! Couldn't help myself! XD**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Not an hour after departing, Jade walked into a room with a fondisc analyzer and locked the door, walking over and sitting down as he slipped the disc into the machine.

After a moment of the machine starting up, screens began to appear in a very orderly fashion, surprising for something Dist documented.

'As I thought...' Jade thought to himself, leaning back in the chair with his arms crossed as he read the words while they scrolled down the screen. 'Luke, one day, you may dispise me enough to want to kill me...'

He narrowed his eyes and let out a sigh, for now, he should keep this information to himself.

~TotA~

Luke yawned loudly and entwined his fingers on the back of his head, leaning back against the chair he was currently sat on. "I'm bored..." He pointed out as everyone else stood in the room.

Tear was stood by a bed with it's curtains closed, along with Guy, who was stood at the other end to avoid being near her. Anise was sat on the top bunk of the other bed, the one with it's curtains drawn, Violet lying on the bottom bunk with her arms crossed and one leg crossed over the other. Ion was stood by the table and Jade was sat on the chair opposite the young noble.

"Master!" Mieu said excitedly as he ran across the table to talk to Luke. "The sea is incredible! There's nothing but water around us!"

"You're a pain!" Luke barked, leaning forward and scaring Mieu half to death. "Stop being so cheerful all the time!" Mieu whimpered and his ears lowered, feeling bad for being scolded.

Guy chose now to step forward. "Jade..." He said with seriousness and Violet hummed, opening an eye to look at them. "Do you know what was on that fondisc?"

This peaked everyone's interests, even Violet's as she sat up, stretching out her legs and leaning on her elbows to keep her torso upright.

"They seem to be doing research about Isofons..." Jade informed them, his arms crossed along with one leg crossed over the other as he spoke. "Lorelei's Fonon Frequency number was recorded in it as well..."

Luke growled and roared, roughing up his hair as he tried to process this. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Master Luke!" Violet barked, her tone scolding. "Is there a need for such loud words?" She glared at her student with her 'teacher eyes' as the young noble called them. "If you don't understand, say so in a calmer tone!"

Luke huffed and looked away like a pampered child, and Violet made a noise of annoyance. She was getting sick of his spoiled attitude.

"Lorelei is the aggregate sentience of the Seventh Fonon!" Anise said, explaining for the young noble once Violet had finished scolding him. "When Fonons gather, they become sentient!"

"But Lorelei has yet to be observed..." Jade continued, his face serious. "It's existence is only hypothetical..."

"A Fonon Frequency is..." Anise started, then had to mull over a little more before she spoke again. "Well, everything emits it! It's like fingerprints; they're all unique! Then, Isofons are two entities that have the exact same Fonon Frequency! So the only way for them to exist is to be created by humans!"

"With Fomicry, a technology that was researched in the past, we can create isofons..." Tear continued, taking over where Anise left off.

"That is a technique that can create copies, replicas..." Jade said once Tear had finished. "As their Fonon Frequency is different, Fomicry can't create perfect Isofons..."

Luke looked at Jade with a look of confusion before he called out with anger again. "I don't understand a thing!"

"Your home teacher didn't explain this to you?" Tear asked, her cold expression hiding her disbelief in this boy's lack of knowledge. "It's been seven years since you've lost your memories..."

Luke sighed and lowered his head, his eyes closed as he spoke with a slight bit of annoyance. "I had a lot of other stuff to remember..."

"And what was that?"

"Like, how to talk, or my parents' faces..."

Tear gasped as she processed this and Violet sighed, laying back down and looking up at the wooden beams supporting the top bunk. "That wasn't fun...Even after I rescued him, if I tried to go near him, he would attack me...Even Duke and Duchess Fabre had trouble approaching him..."

"I apologized for that..." Luke said, looking at her with annoyance, why had she brought that up. "I was scared, I didn't recognize you..."

"I know, that's why I don't hold it against you..." Violet said, smirking as she closed her eyes, her arms crossed once more. "Didn't hurt anyway, you had a very weak punch!"

"Hey!"

"I'm telling the truth though, right Guy?"

Guy's laugh reached her ears and he chuckled too. Everyone but Tear smiled at the small banter, until Tear spoke quietly. "I'm sorry..."

Luke hummed and looked at the young Oracle Knight. "Wh-what's wrong now?" He asked, shocked by her apology.

"It seems I wasn't taking your amnesia seriously..."

"It's not that-"

Suddenly the conversation was interrupted when a Kimlascan Knight entered the cabin. "It's terrible!" He said urgently as the others looked at him and Violet sat up with shock in her eyes. "We've detected an unknown object coming from Kaitzur's direction!"

Jade stood up as Violet did the same, grabbing the helm of her sword and pulling it out of it's sheathe. "Dammit, can't we even get on a boat without any of this crap?!"

"It seems not..." Jade said, turning to look at her. "Come on, we have to hurry, if there is indeed danger, we should go to the deck and see what it is!"

Violet and the others nodded, all running from the room to see what the hell was going on. They got outside in record time and looked around for any signs of trouble.

Sudden an obnoxious laugh filled the air and they all turned around and looked up, spotting a pink/white haired man on a floating chair.

"I see the primitive savages have all come together..." He said, his voice laced with self-adoration and an arrogance that pissed Violet off more than Jade's sarcasm.

"Dist!" Violet snarled, glaring at him with anger flashing in her lilac orbs. "I've got a score to settle with you, Asswipe!"

"I am not an asswipe!" Dist said with a serious expression. "Listen closely to my beautiful name!" He smirked and combed his fingers through his hair as he spoke. "I am a God-General of the Oracle Knights, Dist the Rose-"

"Oh, if it isn't Dist the Runny!" Jade suddenly came out with, shocking everyone, including Violet, who looked back at him with wide eyes.

"Rose! The Rose! It's Dist the Rose!" Dist barked, anger now coming off him in waves.

"Isn't it Dist the Reaper?" Anise asked, innocence in her voice, like she didn't actually hate the guy, but didn't like him either.

"No, it's not!" Dist barked.

"Do you know him?" Luke asked and Violet looked back at Dist, who looked like he was about to bust a blood vessel.

"We're both in the Oracle Knights, so..." Anise said, trailing off before looking back at Jade, who was staring up at Dist without even a hint of a smile. "But the Colonel..."

Dist chuckled and answered for the Colonel, his voice holding some small bite to it. "That sly Jade used to be a friend of this genius, Dist!"

"Which Jade would that be?" Jade asked, looking around with mock confusion. Obviously trying to piss Dist off.

"What was that?!" It was working apparently.

"Now, now, if you get angry, your nose will start running again!" Jade said and Dist seemed to be trying to control his anger, slapping both hands over his nose to make sure.

Violet covered her face with her palm and let out a deep sigh. This was the guy that extracted her Fonons? She knew he was an asshole, but now he was an idiot too.

"It won't!" Dist roared, slapping his hands down on the armrests of his chair.

"That's so stupid..." Luke muttered, basically voicing Violet's thoughts.

"Very well then..." Dist said, calming down and placing his hands, entwined, ontop of his leg, which was crossed over the other. He held out his hand with a smirk. "Now, be good and hand over the fondisc..."

Jade's eyes narrowed and he cleared his throat, Violet at his side looking at him when she heard it. "Do you see his other hand?" The man asked, his voice quiet so only she could hear it.

She hummed and looked up, seeing a red fondisc in Dist's hand, how had she not seen that before?!

"While I distract him, grab that disc...I don't care how, just make sure you do not get harmed in the process..." Jade reached into his pocket and took out the disc.

"You mean this?" Jade asked, holding up the fondisc.

Suddenly Dist rocketed down with a 'mighty' shout. "Now's my chance!" He called as he snatched the disc, Jade's features not changing, not even fazed at the sudden movement.

Violet grinned and ran towards the floating chair, kicking off from the ground and jumping up, managing to grab the seat with her feet planted on both armrests.

"Get. Off!" Dist roared, the chair spinning around as he tried to shake Violet off, but she wasn't having any of it. "I said get off!"

Violet's smirk widened and she quickly snatched the red fondisc as he lifted his hand to hit her. "Thank you!" She said brightly, kicking the chair to gain leverage as she fell from it, knocking Dist forward and almost off the chair himself.

The young Swords Master smirked as she fell towards the deck and turned mid-fall, twisting her body so she would land safely.

Everyone, but Jade was shocked as Violet landed on one knee, feeling some slight pain with her landing. Dist huffed, his hair mussed as he sorted himself out on the chair, no longer in danger of falling off.

A pity.

"How dare you grab my chair!" Dist barked as Violet got to her feet, her own hair messy and her vision still spinning slightly. "You'll pay for that!"

Violet's smirk transformed into a grin of triumph as she held up the red fondisc for Dist to see. "Look what I got, Runny!" She said brightly, waving it around before tossing it to Jade, who caught it and put it in his pocket for safe-keeping.

Dist blinked, but smirked and held up the blue disc he had grabbed in the rush. "You let your guard down!" He said with cockiness and Violet arched a delicate brow in disbelief at this man's stupidity.

"I'm offering it to you!" Jade said, looking up with his usual smile, his eyes shining with that usual amusement he held. "After all, I've already memorized all of it's contents!"

Dist looked from Jade to the disc and back again before he growled with his fist in front of his face. "You will regret looking down on me, once you've tasted my super, ultra, gorgeous artes!"

"Technically, we can't look down on you, because you're above us!" Violet called up, placing on hand on her hip, the other holding her sword. "For a 'genius' as you so generously called yourself, you don't know much about the laws of physics, do you?"

Dist's face was turning an unhealthy shade of purple and Violet understood why Jade was constantly trying to piss this man off. He was fun to annoy!

"You'll pay!" Dist barked, anger evident in his eyes and features. "You'll all pay! Come forth, Kaiser Dist R!" He thrust both hands into the air and silence followed.

Suddenly there was a flash in the air and Jade was the first to notice something falling towards them. "Careful!" He shouted, swiping his hand out, gesturing for them all to move. "Scatter!"

Everyone gasped and looked up once before diving in different directions, just as something slammed into where they had once been.

"That's a dirty tactic!" Violet growled, she and Jade behind some boxes, along with Mieu and Luke. Tear, Anise, Ion and Guy on the other side of the deck, looking as the light began to fade.

"That's...!" Tear gasped as the thing inside the light became visible.

It was a giant fon machine, it had claws and a drill with several spikes sticking out of it. It looked a bit like an octopus with legs and it wasn't an attractive machine.

"Wh-what the...?" Luke gasped, leaning forward in shock, all of them watching as the drill powered up and it lunged for them. "Here I go!" He called as he pulled out his sword and ran at the machine.

"Dammit, a sword won't work on that thing!" Violet hissed as Luke managed to dodge an attack and Guy's sword just bounced off.

"Violet, which Fonons do you mainly use?" Jade asked and Violet hummed, looking back at the Fonist with confusion, as Anise and Tear tried Fonic Artes, and they did nothing.

"I use all but the Fifth Fonon..." Violet said, blinking. "I haven't mastered any fire artes yet..."

"Excellent!" Jade stood up and took her hand, shocking her as he dragged her out from behind the boxes and stood side by side, staring at the monster of a machine they had to defeat. "When I start casting, you start casting too, this might work as long as we use the same Fonic Arte!"

"Wh-what are you talking about?!"

"We're going to perform a Dual Fonic Arte, specifically Splash..." Jade explained, looking at her. "For this, we have to connect our hands, like we have, and cast at the same time, it should double our power!"

Violet thought for a moment, then nodded and the two of them turned to the machine. "Oh violent torrent!" They both called, raising their free hands into the air as two Fonic Circles surrounded them before merging into one Fonic Glyph. "Splash!"

Suddenly a large ball of water appeared in front of Kaiser Dist R and turned into a jet, shooting at the machine and scrambling it as the water got into it's circuits.

Jade smirked and dropped Violet's hand, pushing his glasses up his nose. "As I expected..." He said, his tone light as Violet panted hard, her forehead covered in sweat as she kept herself standing.

"So machine are weak against water!" Tear said, pointing out the obvious as Luke attacked the machine again, but was knocked back. "Luke!" Tear called, stepping forward.

"Are you alright?"

Luke and the others turned and looked up, seeing Van stood on the top of the boat, staring down at the scene before him. "Master!" Luke called with both shock and deep respect.

"Dist, are you following Asch's orders too?" Van asked and Dist never answered, a look of both fear and guilt in his eyes. "I have no choice..." Van pointed his palm at Kaiser Dist R and a Fonic Circle appeared in front of his palm, turning into purple Fonons before fading away.

Everyone waited and all of them, except Jade, jumped when a sudden bolt of purple lightning shot down and destroyed the machine before them. Causing a massive explosion and sending Dist flying.

The entire group aside from Van walked towards one end of the boat and watched as Dist landed into the water with an almighty splash.

"That guy..." Luke breathed as the water settled where Dist had hit it.

"Is he dead?" Anise asked, hands on the barrier as she looked over, seeing as she was just a little too short to see without being on her toes.

"No, he won't die even if you kill him..."

"That makes sense!" Violet called over, trying to steady her breathing. Dual Artes took a little more Fonons than a Fonic Arte alone it seemed.

Jade chuckled and continued, pushing his glasses up his nose. "He's as tenacious as a cockroach..."

Jade turned to see if Violet was alright, having heard her small gasp for breath earlier, however his frown deepened as she dropped to her knees and planted her hands on the floor, taking deep breaths.

"Violet!" Tear gasped as the others heard her fall and Jade walked over, his arms behind his back.

"Your Fonons have not completely returned, have they?" Jade asked and Violet scoffed, looking down at the ground, not speaking as she felt no need to explain herself. "Why didn't you mention this before, that Dual Arte could have killed you..."

"I-I'm fine, Necromancer!" She seethed, slowly getting to her feet, her legs shaking beneath her. "I'm going to take a nap, wake me if anything else happens..." She turned and walked away, her steps careful and slow, as not to fall on her face.

Jade's eyes narrowed and he pulled the disc out of his pocket. 'Violet's information...' He thought, walking towards the door to the inside of the ship himself, wanting to analyze this data. 'This may explain why the God-Generals tried so hard to extract her Fonons...'

~TotA~

Jade locked the door and walked over to the same machine he had used earlier that day. He wanted to analyze this as soon as physically possible, in case more God-Generals came back to retrieve it.

The Necromancer placed the disc inside and sat down, watching as the screen appeared and information was shown. 'Her frequency is longer than a regular human's...' Jade mused as his eyes darted from one line to another, reading with interest.

'Yet, there's something different, something even the disc couldn't pick up...' Jade's eyes narrowed. 'There are only two explanations for that...There is a small mutation in her Fonons causing some of them to be hidden...Or there is something in her Fonons that has not yet been recorded in human history...'

Jade sighed and paused the movement of the data, reading the same line again and again.

_DATA NOT FOUND._

"Just who and what are you, Violet?"

~TotA~

The hours passed like the wind after that and during the night, when the sky was the deepest blue imaginable, Luke stood outside, staring out at the sea with a bored frown on his face.

Luke sighed and leaned further over, looking down at his own reflection. "Being outside really is a bother..."

Suddenly pain throbbed through the young nobles head and he cried out, staggering backwards, away from the barrier, his hands gripping his hair in agony. "Again?!"

Of course just as the pain came, so did a new feeling, his body was no longer under his control. His entire form glowed brightly and his hands began to move on their own accord, lifting into the air, palms pointed outwards, at the sea. "My body...I can't...!"

_I have finally reached you..._

Luke gasped as the voice he had heard so many times returned. "Wh-who...?!"

_Show me your power, the same as mine..._

"Are you the one controlling me?!" Luke cried out, his eyes squeezed shut as he tried to move, only able to make his hands tremble, and nothing more.

Suddenly a blue ball of energy appeared between both palms and shot out at the ocean, taking a massive, perfectly shaped, circular chunk out of the side of the boat's barrier, along with some small cliffs in the distance, each having perfectly shaped, circular holes in them.

"What the hell is this?" Luke asked quietly, scared of his own strength. "No...Stop!" He cried, just as a hand grabbed his forearm and another held his shoulder.

"Luke! Calm down..." Van said from behind the boy, trying to stop this awful power before it could do any more harm. "Take a deep breath..."

Luke did as his master said and closed his eyes, taking deep, calming breaths to stop his panic.

"Good...Now slowly take back control over your consciousness..."

Luke keep taking deep breaths as he opened his eyes, looking at his hands as they stopped glowing and his control returned.

Van nodded with approval and walked around the boy, so he was stood right in front of him. "Luke, listen closely to my voice..." He said, and then all Luke saw was Van's hand come into his line of sight. "Focus your powers, like that..."

Then he lost consciousness.

~TotA~

The darkness faded and Luke opened his eyes to see Van crouched down beside him, worry in his eyes. "Are you alright?" He asked as Luke blinked and looked around without moving.

"What the hell...?" Luke asked, confusion in his tired eyes.

"You caused a hyperresonance..." Van informed the young noble as he sat up and looked at the damage he had caused.

"Master, what happened to me?"

"Have you never questioned the reason for your confinement?" Van asked, looking at his student curiously, as if in disbelief at his ignorance on the topic.

"Well, my family is worried, so..."

"That's not it..." Van said, his frown deepening. "It was to keep you, the only person in the world who can cause a hyperresonance all by himself, under Kimlasca's control..."

"W-wait a minute!" Luke gasped, standing up out of shock. "I don't understand..." He got quieter out of confusion as Van also got to his feet, wanting to explain at an even height so Luke felt like an equal and not a patronized child.

"A hyperresonance has the power to destroy or revive all matter...Normally it can only occur between two Seventh Fonists..."

"And I...Can cause it on my own?"

"That's right...If you train it, that power could become very advantageous in war...Duke Fabre and the King both know that..."

"So...Does that mean I was locked up as a weapon?"

"Yes..." Van admitted, not wanting to hide it from the boy any longer, his eyes narrowing as he said the bitter truth. "Up until now, and in the future too..."

"No! I don't want that!" Luke roared, shaking his head as he felt sadness and hopelessness well up inside of him. He ran to the barrier and looked out at the sea as Van didn't even turn to face him, listening to his desperate tone. "Locked up all this time, only to be used if a war starts...!"

"Calm down, Luke..." Van said, now turning slightly so he could see Luke over his shoulder. "First, you prevent a war from ever happening...Then you get people to acknowledge your achievements...You will be seen as the hero who protected the peace!"

"Really?" Luke asked, a small glimmer of hope returning to his voice.

"Believe in yourself...You have been chosen..." Van said, walking over to Luke and putting his hand on the teen's shoulder. "The power known as hyperresonance will make you a hero..."

"Me...A hero..."

Could he actually become a hero?

~TotA~

Three days passed in a flash after that and Violet was sat on the barrier, curious about the large hole in said barrier, but not questioning it, thinking it was just some damage left by the machine they had defeated three days before.

"It's a nice day..." She muttered, leaning back so her head fell back and the wind made her hair flutter, a small, calm smile on her lips. A smile she had only when alone.

She opened her eyes, shrieked and fell off the barrier when the first thing she saw was an upside down Jade with an amused smile on his lips.

"Don't do that, Asshole!" Violet snarled, as she sat up on the wooden floor. "What the hell are you doing, sneaking up on me like that?!"

"I was merely asking if you were joining the others for a meal in the cafeteria? Anise asked for chiffon cake and it seems everyone else is having some too..."

"What about you?" She asked getting to her feet and dusting off her ass. "Aren't you going to eat too?"

"I've already eaten..." Jade said, smirking when Violet rolled her eyes and walked around him. "I find curry is more to my taste..."

"I find that I don't care!" Violet said, a little bit of a sneer in her voice. "Stop following me all the time, I can't exactly escape on a boat in the middle of the ocean!"

"Oh, but then I would be ignoring the protocols of your custody..." Jade said, turning and walking with her down the halls.

"Get lost, Jade..."

"I am escorting you to the cafeteria, is that not allowed?"

"I swear to God, I'm going to kick your ass!"

"Now, now, that's not very nice!"

A loud noise of anger filled the halls and Violet picked up the pace, storming into the cafeteria and shocking everyone in there. "Just give me some damn cake!" She snarled and the chef nodded in fear, cutting and handing her a slice in record time.

Luke and the others looked at her in confusion as she walked to the table further away and sat down, glaring out of the window as she took a forkful of cake and ate it.

"What did you do now?" Guy asked with a sigh as Jade's smirk widened and his pushed his glasses up his nose, the light shielding his eyes.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Guy..."

"Uh-huh...Sure you don't..."

Ion smiled and stood up, taking his plate and walking towards Violet, even with Anise's warnings. "Hello, Violet!" He said brightly, ignoring her groan as he sat down opposite her.

"Fon Master, No offence, but I would like to be alone right now..." Violet said, trying to be as polite and civil as possible when she wanted to wringe a particular Colonel's neck.

"Aren't you lonely though?" Ion asked and Violet froze, a forkful of cake just an inch from her waiting mouth. "I mean, you're always avoiding us, and you never smile when you know we're there..."

Violet face turned cold and she stood up, pushing her cake away as she walked out of the door, the others watching with frowns.

When was she going to open up to them a little more?

~TotA~

It had been a week now since they had departed from Kaitzur and Violet hummed softly as she walked out of the bathroom in a bathrobe, her hair covered by a towel as she thoroughly dried it.

"I hate this..." She mumbled as she looked out of the window, placing her towel on her shoulders as the night sky met her. "I hate this whole custody thing, I want to just get on another ferry and go travelling..."

Violet sighed and closed her eyes, continuing with the task she had started as she sat down on her bed, feeling warm and relaxed. "If it wasn't for that asshole of the Colonel, I would be in Engeve right now..."

She stopped and blinked, realizing something.

If it wasn't for that Colonel, she would never have realized her dream.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I've spent too much time around them..." She mumbled, standing up and pacing the room out of boredom. "I'm becoming soft..."

A knock resounded on her door and she hummed, her face going cold as she frowned. "Whoever it is, I'm not decent!" She lied, wanting to be alone.

"It's Tear..."

Violet blinked and walked over to the door, opening it to see the young Oracle Knight there. "Is something wrong?" She asked, looking around for any signs of danger. "Are we under attack again?"

"No..." Tear looked down with unease. "I...Wanted to know more about Luke's amnesia...From your point of view..."

Violet blinked again and stepped out of the way, allowing Tear to enter, which she did, sitting on the chair nearest to the door, in case Violet asked her to leave.

"Alright, if I hear any questions I don't like the sound of, you know where the door is..." Violet said, stopping for a second. "Just let me get changed first..."

Tear laughed softly as Violet entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her, locking it. "I'll be five minutes, tops!" She called from behind the closed door.

"That's fine, I'm in no hurry!"

Silence stretched for several minutes before Violet unlocked the door and stepped out, now dressed in her battle suit, her hair combed and roughed up to it's usual style. "So, what do you want to know?" She asked, sitting down and crossing one leg over the other, her arms crossed too.

"I...Wanted to know what happened...How you found out about his amnesia..."

"Well I figured something was wrong when I rescued him, but I didn't actually find out until we got back and he didn't even recognize his parents...The doctors came and checked to see if he was alright, then they diagnosed him with amnesia, seeing as there isn't any other reason he would forget everything, including how to walk..."

Tear gasped and Violet closed her eyes, her face stone cold, as per usual. "I found out the hard way just how bad his amnesia was when I visited the day after I brought him home..."

_Brave knocked softly on Luke's bedroom door, the Duchess having explained how scared he had been. Guy was obviously with him, helping him in his studies._

_"Brave, is that you?" Guy called out and Brave opened the door slightly, looking in to see the young teen and the child who looked at her in fear._

_"Yeah, it's me, is it alright to come in?"_

_"Yeah, just...Keep your distance..." Guy said and Brave nodded, walking into the room and standing on the opposite side of Luke, to avoid scaring Guy._

_"How are you feeling, Master Luke?" She asked, looking down at the boy who flinched away from her. "Hm?" She blinked, then gave him the softest smile anyone had ever seen. "Luke, there's no need to be frightened, I'm here to help, I promise..."_

_Luke made a noise of disapproval and punched Brave hard in the stomach, making her gasp and stagger back, holding where he had punched._

_"Luke!" Guy gasped, as Luke turned and punched him as well, getting up and falling to the floor instantly, still unable to walk._

_When the boy began to cry, both of them forgot about their injuries and ran to his side to help._

Tear was shocked to hear that Luke had acted so violently against the one who had saved him, and the one who was now his best friend.

"I expected him to remember the day he was rescued, but for some reason, that was lost in his amnesia too...Hence why he didn't recognise Choral Castle..." Violet said, opening her eyes. "I had trained him for a year before that...and I quit a year later..."

"Why did you quit?"

Violet's eyes turned icy and she glared at Tear, who sighed and stood up, bowing politely. "Thank you for you time, Violet...I won't forget your kindness..."

"Just get out..."

Tear turned and left without another word and Violet felt a twinge of guilt before she scoffed and pushed it back, standing and walking towards the window, looking out at the blackened sea, tinted by the dark sky above.

Her eyes narrowed as she huffed softly, remembering all the times she had trained Luke, a small swell of sadness washing over her.

Dammit Tear!

~TotA~

Violet whistled softly as the sky turned pink, tomorrow they would arrive in Baticul and she would hopefully be free of her crimes.

If the Colonel decided she didn't need to explain them, that is. If she did need to explain, she would rather die first than tell him.

Violet huffed and looked at the rising sun, tomorrow her entire life could change in an instant, she could be free, no longer burdened by the sins of murder, or she would be sent to Grand Chokmah with Jade, to be charged and executed.

She hoped if that were to happen, she would be able to send a letter to her parents first, telling them that she tried and failed, unable to live the dream she longed to achieve.

Violet sighed and closed her eyes, lowering her head as she thought of how her parents would react to such a letter. Knowing her father, he would take the fastest coach to Grand Chokmah and her mother would probably follow him.

It pained her to think of their faces if they were to see her die.

Suddenly her cynical thoughts were interrupted by a sharp pain shocking her skull from the inside out. "Aaaagh!" She cried out, grabbing her scalp hard as she trembled, agony rippling through her.

"Gaaaaahhhh!"

_...You...Fonon...Save..._

"Violet!"

Violet hissed and dropped to her knees as she heard someone run over, their voice dulled along with their footsteps. "Violet, can you hear me?" Jade asked, crouching down and snapping his fingers in front of her face, trying to get some sort of response.

"Aggh! J-Jade, is that...You?" She gasped out, opening a single eye and Jade gasped, looking at the color of her iris.

Why was it blood red and not the usual dark lilac?!

"J-Jade, I don't un-understand...!" Violet ground out, curling into as close a ball as she could while on her knees. "I-it hurts!"

"Violet, calm down!" Jade told her, looking for anything that could have caused her pain. "Can you tell me where it hurts? I might be able to help if you do..."

Violet never accepted help or showed pain, so when she said 'it hurts' it took some of his own might not to worry for her. He was in charge of her care, he had to stop whatever was causing pain, otherwise he wasn't doing his job right.

Suddenly Violet relaxed and planted her hands into the ground, panting hard. "Wh-what was...That?!" She asked, looking up at Jade with wide eyes, now lilac once more.

"I don't know myself...Whatever it was-" Jade never got the chance to finish his sentence as Violet's vision spun and she collapsed, unconscious. "Violet!"

~TotA~

Violet groaned as she came to, staring up at the blurred support beams of the top bunk. "What...The hell?" She mumbled, looking around, she was alone it seemed. "What happened?"

She sat up and ran her fingers through her fringe, some slight pain in her head. She tried to recall what had happened, but was drawing up a blank. "Did I overdo it?"

The Cold Warrior tossed the covers off and got out of bed, groaning and grabbing the ladders as support until the world stopped spinning. "I guess I have overdone it..." She mumbled, shaking her head free of any dizziness before walking towards the door.

When she opened it she jumped as Jade was standing there, his hand raised to knock. He smiled and dropped his hand, allowing it to join the other behind his back.

"I see you're awake!" He said, his tone cheerful as Violet glared at him, wondering what the hell he wanted. "How are you feeling?"

"Can't you leave me alone?" Violet asked, pushing past him and down the hall. "I'm fine..."

Jade watched as she walked around the corner and left him to think. 'No, her sudden appearance change wasn't natural...' Jade thought to himself. 'It may have something to do with that blank space in her information...What could cause such an unnatural phenomenon?'

Jade would have to keep this to himself as well, if Violet were to find out, there was no doubt she would panic.

~TotA~

Baticul was just as busy as ever, including the dock, where the boat, Luke and the others were, had stopped. One by one the group walking down the ramp and onto solid ground for the first time in two weeks.

Violet actually felt the sudden urge to jump up and down on the solid concrete, but pushed it back and scolded herself for being so childish.

Before them stood an entire platoon of knights, along with a man with balding grey hair and a mustache and a woman with blonde hair and brown eyes, wearing the Kimlascan colors.

"Congratulations on coming back safely from your travels..." The balding man said, his arms by his side and his back straight. I am commander of the 1st Division, Kimlasca-Lanvaldear Royal Forces, Goldberg..."

"I am Brigadier General Cecille..." The young woman with blonde hair said, standing in the exact same position as Goldberg.

"Good..." Luke said, sounding slightly bored. "I'm taking everyone to the castle, alright?"

"Understood..." Goldberg said with a bow and he lead them all to the cable carts, mainly the one that lead right up to the castle.

Violet and the others stepped inside and stood at different parts of the cart, Anise, Mieu, Tear, Ion and Jade at the front, Luke, Van and Guy at the back and Violet by the door, leaning against it as she looked out at the beautiful scenery.

"What an amazing city!" Anise commented, looking out at the castle on the tip of the bristling paradise. "It goes straight up!"

"It's surprising!" Mieu exclaimed, looking around at the sheer amount of buildings and life this city held. "You can fit many Cheagle Woods in here!"

Luke looked out at the same view, but he didn't look excited in the least. "I don't feel like I'm home at all..." He said with a frown, his arms crossed.

"Oh, right, you haven't been outside since your kidnapping..." Guy said, looking at Luke with an apologetic look, how could he forget the young master's amnesia so carelessly?

"Yeah..."

"Don't worry..." Tear said, turning to look at Luke with a kind smile, something Tear had started doing more since hearing from both Luke and Violet about his amnesia. "You don't have to remember, just discover everything now!"

Anise looked at Tear with suspicion. "Tear, you've become kinder to him..." She said, with a flat, accusing tone.

Tear's face turned bright red. "That's not it!" She said, Van giving her a serious look, as if suspecting that Anise was correct.

Violet was the only one who didn't speak, she was staring out at the city as it passed, a frown fixed onto her cold features and the wind making her hair flutter.

"Is something the matter, Violet?" Ion asked, walking over from where Anise and the others were and standing beside the young Swords Master.

Violet didn't even look at Ion and spoke with a dismissive tone. "I'm fine..." She said, her voice as cold as her expression. "I'm thinking, leave me alone..."

Ion frowned and looked back at the others, who frowned too, Jade and Luke were the only ones who gave Violet a suspicious look. What was she thinking about?

"You're always so moody!" Anise complained, sighing with a shrug. "When are you finally going to smile?"

"When you finally get your nose out of my business!" Violet hissed, glaring at Anise over her shoulder. "When I say leave me alone, I mean it!"

Jade looked out of the window with a serious expression. 'Something is bothering her, that much I can tell...' He mused to himself, pushing his glasses up his nose. 'Yet she is as detached as ever, even around Guy...'

Guy looked at Violet with worry and Jade caught this, as if she didn't normally act this cold. Which was surprising. Guy was always able to see some good in Violet, even when he had been informed of her brutal murders.

What could stop someone from being able to trust others to this degree? Could it have something to do with why she killed those Malkuth soldiers?

~TotA~

Anise gasped as she ran out of the cart on arrival, looking at the beautiful castle before them. It was huge, and beautifully crafted. "It's huge!" She exclaimed, her eyes shining as she thought of all the possibilities before her if she finally got Luke to marry her. "I want to live somewhere like this!"

"Keep dreaming, kid..." Violet said as she passed, smirking as she walked towards the doors. "Even Luke has some sense of common knowledge..."

"Hey!" Both Luke and Anise call out and a chuckle came from Jade as he pushed his glasses up his nose and they all followed her into the castle.

They walked up the steps towards the throne room, but were stopped by two Kimlacan Knights just before they could enter the large hall. "Grand Maestro Mohs is currently in an audience with His Majesty..." One of the knights said. "Please wait..."

Luke's eyes narrowed and he made a noise of curiosity as Van spoke. "Grand Maestro Mohs?"

"Let's get in there before he tells Uncle any weird things!" Luke said, walking forward and pushing the knights out of the way when they stepped forward to stop him.

"The Malkuth Empire is strengthening the defenses in their capital, Grand Chokmah..." Mohs explained to King Ingobert the Sixth as Luke pushed the door open and entered, his friends, and Swords Masters, following behind. "They have made Engeve their supply base and-"

"Stop this foolishness, Grand Maestro!" An authoritative, female voice rang out and Mohs gasped, turning to see Violet, Luke and Van walking forward, the others behind.

"Oh, Luke, Violet!" Ingobert said, looking at his nephew and the temporary Swords Master. "I see you have both returned safely...Why, if it isn't Fon Master Ion!"

"It's been a while, Your Majesty!" Ion said with his usual kind smile, it seemed he was friends with everyone.

Mohs looked a little nervous as he spotted Ion and spoke with a stammer. "We've been looking for you..." He said, smiling with a false cheer.

"Mohs, we will talk later..." Ion said, sounding serious and Mohs stepped back with a frown. "Your Majesty, this is Colonel Jade Curtiss, representative of His Imperial Majesty, Peony the Ninth..."

Jade stepped forward and got on one knee, his hand on his chest as he addressed the king before him. "I have come here bearing a letter from my Lord for His Majesty, King Ingobert..." He said, his voice laced with the respect he held for both Peony and Ingobert. He glanced at Anise and she walked over to Ingobert's attendant, holding up a letter with a bow of her head.

The attendant took the letter and Anise backed away, taking her place beside Ion once more.

"Uncle, what Mohs says is utter nonsense!" Luke started and Violet nodded, stepping forward and bowing much like Jade had done.

"Your Majesty, I understand it is not my place to say such things, however what Luke says is true...We were recently in Engeve ourselves and there was not a single inkling of wartime preparation, it was completely at peace..."

"Wh-what are you saying?!" Mohs gasped, hating this insolent little witch for her words. "I was only informing His Majesty of the menace that Malkuth-"

"You can keep your mouth shut!" Violet barked, looking up with a snarl on her features. "How dare you insult the country in which I was raised! You, the one who wants to start a war! If anyone is a threat, it is you and your monstrous lies!"

Mohs stepped back in shock and Violet took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she spoke once more, directing her words to King Ingobert. "My apologies for such an outburst, Your Majesty...I will refrain from speaking out of term again..."

"I accept your apology, Brave...However please see that you keep your anger in check, it is not pleasant to see such an old friend in such a viscous state..."

"Yes, Your Majesty..." Violet then got to her feet and stepped back until she was at Luke's side once more, her face stoic, as it usually was when she met with the king.

"Now that the letter has reached me, I cannot ignore it..."

"We'll leave it to you, Uncle..." Luke said and Tear and Anise sighed with relief, while Ion smiled and Jade stayed serious, as he was in the company of royalty.

Violet closed her eyes, a small, unnoticed smile on her lips. She was glad. Glad that the two countries she held dear were not going to fight any longer.

However her smile faded as she realized she had some business of her own to take care of. She stepped forward once more and confused everyone as she bowed again. "Your Majesty, that is not all...I have some matters I have to discuss with you also..."

"Oh? Proceed..." Ingobert said, listening intently as the young Swords Master spoke.

"I am currently in charge of Luke's safety, as his temporary Swords Master, correct?"

"Yes, I am aware of that..."

"I would...Like to resign from that title, permanently..."

Everyone gasped and even Van looked a little shocked, she had said she would hand the title back to him, but she did not say that she would ask to be permanently removed from the role.

"I see..." Ingobert said, stroking his chin, looking over his friend who had her eyes closed and her head bowed. "Might I ask the reason for this sudden decision?"

"I have finally realized my ambition, once I am free of custody, I will travel Auldrant and see this world for myself...Please understand, if you see this as a traitor's will, due to my Malkuth upbringing, I will accept all punishments, but I assure you, I chose to do this alone and I will not betray you or Kimlasca's trust..."

Ingobert sat silently for a moment before a smile slipped over his lips. "I could tell you have not been happy for a while, Brave..." He said, and Violet gasped, looking up in shock, her eyes wide. Even Ingobert had seen past her misery? "I relieve you of your title, due to your request...However, I must still find some way to repay you for your troubles..."

Violet bowed her head once more. "Thank you, Your Majesty, I will not forget your kindness..."

"I do have one question..."

"Ask away, I am in your debt..."

"Why are you in custody?"

Violet cursed several times in her head and stood up, looking at the king with a serious expression. "My full name is Violet Brave Moon...As you know I am the..." She stopped and continued. "An Engeve citizen and until recently my true identity was a secret...I am a wanted criminal in Malkuth for the murders of three soldiers..."

The king gasped and Violet prepared for her punishment as she continued. "I cannot speak of why I did such a sinful crime, but please listen when I say I will not do so again..." She closed her eyes and bowed stiffly. "Punish me as you see fit, I will take it with the utmost respect..."

King Ingobert didn't speak for some time, having to process this. "I understand..." He said, shocking not only Violet, but most of the group as well, except Jade obviously. "I see that you regret those sins and I am not one to judge without knowing your reasons...I hope that the Emperor of Malkuth sees things as I do, but here, you are still trusted..."

Violet sighed and a small smile dawned on her features, relief washing through her as she finally felt a small sense of freedom. "Thank you, Your Majesty...Your kind words will not go unheard..." She bowed again and Ingobert chuckled.

"However..."

She forced herself not to groan.

"I do have a small request for you..."

Violet and the others blinked as the king looked at all of them. "Tonight we are holding a Royal Ball in celebration of Luke's return, I would like you all to attend, as my honored guests!"

Violet felt horror sweep over her as Ingobert looked at her. "And Violet, you must attend, as Luke's former Swords Master..."

She felt like someone had stabbed her again. Oh what joy this night was going to be.

~TotA~

"Luke, thank you..." Ion said as the group left the throne room and the entire room was sealed off by knights, being prepared for the Royal Ball later. "It's all thanks to you..."

"Ah, well, that's what happens when I get serious..." Luke said, entwining his fingers on the back of his head as Violet looked away from the group, her frown evident, like usual.

"As expected from your influence!" Jade said, in that cheerful tone of his, annoying the young master enough for him to turn and glare at the older Fonist.

"You're really testing my patience!"

"Ah, I apologize!" Jade said, not sounding in the least bit serious as he raised his hand to show his 'sincerity.' "You were a great help!"

Luke hummed and straightened up with a look of curiosity. "So, with this the war won't happen anymore?" He asked and Van was the one to answer.

"Now the negociations will start..."

"I see..." Luke muttered, then spoke more clearly. "Well, I'll be going now...My mother is probably worried..."

Suddenly Luke had a heart attack as Anise slammed into his side and smiled up at him with her hands linked together. "I want to see Master Luke's house~!" She cooed, blushing as she looked at her 'future husband.'

"We do as well!" Jade said, with that ever-present smile and that annoyingly cheerful tone.

"It's an ordinary house, you know..." Luke said and Violet let out one loud huff of laughter, smirking when Luke glared at her.

"An ordinary house, you say?" Anise mused quietly to herself, trying to cover her cunning smirk with her hand. Violet rolled her eyes at the young girl's motives.

What the hell kind of group had she gotten herself stuck with? Worst part about that question, she had been asking it for three weeks, however no conclusion was reached.

~TotA~

What Luke saw as ordinary, everyone else saw as a large, beautiful manor with a lovely view of the city below, not what someone one would call 'ordinary' at all.

"Well, we're here!" Guy said, walking towards the doors with a smile, Violet stepping back slightly with a deep frown on her features.

Jade saw this movement in the reflection of his glasses, but did not say anything about it.

"Wow, it's huge!" Anise cried out, looking at the large manor with shock. Guy let out a soft laugh and opened the door, confused when Luke went to walk inside but stopped.

"Luke..." A familiar man said and everyone looked inside to see Duke Fabre and General Cecille walking towards the door they were currently overcrowding.

"Father, I've come home!" Luke said brightly, running into the house and stopping a few feet from his father, the others walking in and standing behind the young noble.

"Luke, Dorian General Grants, Violet, I am pleased to see you safe..." Duke Fabre said looking from one to another with a serious expression. One the Duke wore often.

"I apologize for worrying you..." Van said and Violet bowed her head with respect, acknowledging Duke Fabre's words, but not having a reply to them.

"Guy, too..." Duke Fabre said, taking one look at the young servant. "Well done..."

"Yes, sir..." Guy said with a smile, bowing his head with respect as the Duke turned his attention to Jade, Ion and Anise.

"Ambassadors, please make yourselves at home..."

"Duke..." General Cecille said, interrupting the reunion as Duke Fabre turned his head to look at her. "The king is waiting..."

"Yes..." Duke Fabre said, agreeing with her as the two of them began walking towards the door once more, the group parting as not to block his path.

However before the Duke left, he stopped beside Tear, who couldn't look him in the eye. "It's thanks to you that Luke was blown away..." He said, his voice cold.

"I apologize for the trouble..." Tear said, looking away once more, having looked up when she realized the Duke was speaking to her.

Duke Fabre and General Cecille began to walk away again and one voice, one very important voice rang out, making Luke panic and Violet groan and straighten up. "Luke!"

The others in the group turned to see Natalia running towards them, smiling happily at the sight of her fiance. However her smile faded as she stopped several feet away, putting her hands on her hips with annoyance. "Well, what kind of attitude is that?" She asked. "Do you even realize how worried I've been?"

"Princess Natalia, Master Luke is just embarrassed..." Guy said, defending his master, but this seemed to backlash for the young servant.

"Guy! You too have some explaining to do!" Natalia snapped, turning and storming over to him, standing too close for the blonde's comfort as he began to tremble, Violet snickering at Jade's side. "Didn't I tell you to come and let me know before you went to look for Luke?"

When Guy suddenly darted behind a pillar, Violet's restraint snapped and she burst out laughing, holding her stomach as Natalia shouted to the blonde servant. "Why are you running away?"

"You should know why!" Guy shouted back as Violet tried to take in enough air to survive.

"Get used to it!" Natalia said, straightening up. "When Luke and I are married, you will become my servant too..."

"It's impossible!"

The others stepped closer to Tear as she spoke, confused by all of the commotion. "'Married?'" She repeated, processing this.

"What's she talking about?" Anise asked, holding Mieu who was more confused than the others.

"Princess Natalia is Master Luke's finacee..." Guy said to them, looking utterly frightened as Violet finally began to get her breathing in check, taking deep, satisfying breaths as her laughter subsided.

Anise made a noise of shock and disappointment at the new information and gripped Mieu just a little too tight. Luke however looked nervous and embarrassed.

"Luke..."

Luke jumped slightly and looked at Natalia, who had just spoken. "What?" He asked, sounding annoyed at her sudden appearance.

"Forget about this, you should go and see your mother immediately..." Natalia said, stepping forward, worry on her features.

"Did something happen to her?" Luke asked, worry now etched onto his features too.

"She fell ill when she learned of your disappearance...I came to visit her..."

"What?!"

"Go see her quickly..."

"Y-yeah!" Luke stammered, turning on his heel and running from the room without another word. Tear sighed and looked down, guilt now covering her features as Natalia's words sunk in.

"Tear..."

Tear hummed and looked up at Guy, who stepped out from behind the pillar. "If it bothers you, go and apologize to the Lady as well..."

Tear thought for a moment before she came to a decision. "Right..." She said softly, before running down the hall in the direction Luke had gone.

"Ah, what a lively house!" Jade said cheerfully, pushing his glasses up his nose as Violet arched a brow, having fully recovered from her laughter when Natalia had spoke of Duchess Fabre.

"I don't get you..." Violet said bluntly, and Jade shot her a closed-eyed smile, creeping her out and even forcing her to take a step back from him.

"I am a simple, honest man, Violet, what's not to get?" Jade asked and Natalia hummed, looking at Violet.

"'Violet?'" She repeated and Violet shot Jade the coldest glare she could muster, she hated him, she hated him so much. "What is the meaning of this name change, Brave?"

Violet sighed and ran her fingers through her fringe. "Oh damn, this might take a while..."

~TotA~

Violet sat in her room in the inn, looking up at the ceiling as the sun began to set, in an hour, she would have to prepare for the Royal Ball. She had never been to a ball before and she was rather uncomfortable with the idea of wearing a dress.

She had never worn a dress before either.

"Oh I hate it when the King asks me to do something..." She groaned, running her fingers through her fringe, resting her palm over one of her eyes. "Now I have to wear a dress I will never wear again, what a waste of Gald..."

She opened an eye and looked back up at the ceiling, wondering how she had gotten mixed up in all of this. If she had been a little more careful when Tear attacked Van, she would never have been roped into this little adventure and the Malkuth Military would never have found her.

"I hate that asshole..." Violet growled, thinking of a certain Malkuth Soldier who was currently in charge of her custody. "I can't wait for this treaty to be signed, then I can get as far away from him as possible!"

She sat up and looked down at the sheets she was sitting on. "I don't need anyone...Not since..." She trailed off and placed her hand on her medicine pouch, knowing what precious item lays inside.

"Not since...Marko..." She sighed and closed her eyes. "No...Not since I became a murderer..."

She slumped back down and looked back up at the ceiling, remembering that day, again and again and again. Unaware of the person stood right outside her door, hand raised to knock, having come to tell her that they would be leaving for the Royal Tailors soon.

Jade lowered his hand and realized if he were to disturb her now, after hearing that, she would kill him. 'Who is Marko?' He mused as he turned and walked silently down the hall. 'He is somehow connected to Violet's crimes, that's much I can assume...But what part does he have to play?'

Was Jade getting closer to figuring Violet out?

~TotA~

Violet glared at Jade as he turned and walked away, having 'escorted' her to the Royal Tailors, he was now going to do whatever the hell he had to do to prepare.

"I hate you asshole!" She snarled at his retreating form when he was too far away to hear. "I will eventually kick your snarky, sarcastic ass to Engeve and back!"

"Violet, such language is not appropriate for a woman like yourself!" Natalia scolded as she walked from the building, not seeing the former Swords Master roll her eyes. "You're late, I asked for you to meet here ten minutes ago!"

"My apologies, Princess Natalia..." Violet said through gritted teeth, before turning and speaking more appropriately. "I have been away for three weeks, I seem to have forgotten my way around the city..."

"I don't believe you, but either way, at least you made it..." Natalia's scolding look turned into a soft smile. "Ah, you haven't changed much in those three weeks, have you?"

"Much?"

"I see you have acquired some battle mementos..."

Violet's cold eyes sharpened and she averted her gaze as not insult the Princess with her glare. "I am a warrior, Princess, it is natural I would come out with some scars..."

"Ah, I see...They suit you rather well!" Natalia said, with a kind smile, one Violet had only seen when the princess was in a really good mood. "Now, shall we see about getting you a dress?"

"What about the other girls?" Violet asked as she and Natalia entered the shop, the Cold Warrior forcing down a blush at the fact she would be wearing a dress.

"They've already gone ahead...I believe right now they are being fitted for their dresses..."

"F-fitted?!" Violet gasped, shocked by the sheer casualness in Natalia's tone. "I can't afford that, as you know, I no longer get paid!"

Natalia smiled at Violet with a softer edge, she wanted Violet to have a good time, not complain all the way through. "I am paying for the dresses, you don't need to worry about the price!"

"I will _not_ accept charity!"

"It is not charity Violet if it was permitted by my father..." Natalia said, narrowing her eyes, authority dripping from her voice. "I said I would be paying for the dresses and father accepted that, seeing as you're honored guests!"

"I-" Violet started, but growled and gritted her teeth, anger evident in her eyes. She had to go, by request of the king, but to be _given_ a dress was like being given money, she did not accept any sort of help and right now, that included this.

Of course if she were to refuse the princess, she would be insulting the Kimlasca-Lanvaldear Royal Family, and she couldn't have that.

Violet glared at Natalia once before all but storming further into the Tailors, a smirking Natalia following behind.

This was going to be hell and Violet knew it. Not only did she have to wear a dress and attend a ball, but the tradition for the Kimlascan Royal Ball was that you had to dance with someone at least once.

Who the hell came up with that one?!

~TotA~

Natalia was the first to emerge from her changing cubicle, brushing her hair back with her hand as she stood there in a Victorian style dress which was sky blue with light blue spirals going up the long skirts reaching down and covering her dark blue high heels from view. Her hair was held back by a sky blue headband with light blue roses sticking out of it.

Tear was hesitant at first, but she also emerged from her cubicle, a blush covering her features as she stood there in a knee-length, sparkling, forest green dress. Her hair was tied back by a darker green, plain band and her shoes were also dark green and plain, the dress being the main focus of her outfit.

Anise jumped out from her cubicle with an excited smile, she was wearing a fairy tale style dress which was bright pink with white flowing patterns covering the entire outfit, her shoes were flat, but were pure white with pink flowing patterns, an invert to her dress. Her hair had been kept the same however had been tied up with sparkling pink bands. Tokunaga on her back wearing a white tux with a light pink tie.

They all turned to Violet's cubicle, waiting for her to emerge. Silence stretched for about five minutes before they heard her voice.

"Stop waiting, I'm not coming out!"

All three of the girls sighed and Natalia placed her hands on her hips with annoyance. "Violet Brave Moon, get out here this instant!"

"I am _older_ than you! Stop talking to me like you're my mother!"

"I accept your opinion, however I am still the princess, as princess I order you to leave that cubicle!"

"My apologies, Princess, but I will not be accepting your request!"

"It was not a request!"

"I still won't come out!"

Natalia huffed and suddenly had a little moment of inspiration. "Violet, are you in fact wearing the entire outfit?" She asked, glancing at the others, who got what she was trying to do.

"Of course I am, I wouldn't pass judgment unless I was-"

Suddenly the curtain was yanked back and both Natalia and Violet stood there in complete shock. Anise and Tear stepped into Violet's line of sight and their expressions melted into shock as well.

Violet was wearing a simple, elegant dress. It was pitch black and skin tight from the waist up, however from the waist down, it flowed slightly, like a summer dress would, except this dress just brushed the floor. Violet's shoes were pitch black with white trimmings around them and around her waist was a pure white ribbon tied in a bow. Her hair was plaited and rested on her shoulder, held together by one small black band at the beginning and end of the elegant hairstyle.

Of course Violet was still wearing her sheathe, she wasn't Violet without it.

"You look..." Natalia started, looking Violet up and down, her face still shocked. Violet didn't look as harsh in this dress, in fact, she looked approachable, like someone you could talk to.

"Wow!" Anise exclaimed, smiling brightly, like a child would. "You don't look like you at all!"

Violet's eyes turned hard as her shock melted away and she stormed past them, angry that they had yanked the curtain open. She didn't even speak as she left the tailors.

"What did I say?" Anise asked.

~TotA~

Violet hated this, she hated this more than the dress shopping. Now she was stood in the throne room, which had been decorated to look fitting for a ball.

Everyone had already arrived and now they were waiting for King Ingobert to begin the 'festivities.' Violet just wanted to get out of this dress, she felt so vulnerable and she hated it.

Right now she was nursing a glass of wine by the tall tower of wine glasses, she always took the one off the top, just because she wasn't stupid enough to take the one of the bottom.

Luke had done that once, apparently.

Violet looked around and spotted the group she traveled with. Guy was stood as far away as possible, his tux black with an orange tie and a small orange hankerchief in his pocket. Luke was wearing a white tux with a red tie and red hankerchief. Ion was wearing his Fon Master uniform, seeing as it was the most formal clothing he could possibly own.

Violet didn't even bother to look for Jade, she didn't care about him, at all. She closed her eyes and lifted her drink, taking a small sip. She preferred scotch, but this was the Royal Ball, they would only serve wine and champagne.

Suddenly all noise ceased as the doors opened and Ingobert was escorted in, bowing to the guests as they bowed to him. He walked up to the throne and sat down, speaking with a smile.

"I welcome you all to this wonderful event, held in celebration of Luke's return! I hope you all have a good time and as the tradition goes, you must all partake in at least one dance...Now, let the music play and the atmosphere move you!"

All the men and women took their positions, the women on the left side of the hall and the men on the right, except Guy, who stood by the throne, unable to join due to his fear.

Then the beautiful music was played and several men walked towards the women, picking their partners for the first dance.

Violet stood there with her arms crossed, her sheathe having been taken by the knight at the door, so all in all, she looked different, less cold, more sociable. Well, she would if she wasn't glaring at any guy who even dared to look in her direction.

Natalia was approached by Luke, because of their engagement and Natalia blushed as she was taken to the middle of the hall to dance.

Ion walked up to Anise who laughed and accepted, dancing with the Fon Master like Luke was with Natalia.

Tear was approached by a handsome man who looked only a year older than her, his smile charmed her and she was soon dancing as well.

The only one left was Violet, and she was refusing anyone who had the guts to brave her glare. Guy frowned and looked down at his friend. She shouldn't be so cold and harsh all the time, she should unwind, even if it was just once.

Violet sighed and closed her eyes, her head low as she leaned against the wall, boredom nipping at her. Oh how she wanted to be in the inn sharpening her sword, or practicing some Fonic Artes she had yet to master.

She heard someone clear their throat and opened one eye, the other snapping open in shock at who stood before her.

Jade was stood with his torso bowed and his hand outstretched towards her, an amused smirk on his lips and the other hand behind his back, his eyes shining with amusement and mischief. He was wearing his usual Malkuth Military uniform, as most military men would if invited to a ball.

Violet looked from his eyes to his hands and back again.

"What are you playing at?" Violet asked and Jade chuckled, one eyebrow raising gently, his hand still outstretched.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mistress Violet..." He said, noting the small flicker of anger in her eyes at his nickname for her. "I am merely requesting a dance!"

"For you, there's a motive, now what is it?" Violet asked, arching her brow with a suspicious gleam in her eyes. "I'm not telling you why I commited those crimes, and if that's the reason, you aren't as impressive as the others think..."

"I would never stoop so low as to request a dance, just for the sake of gaining information..." Jade said, and she heard some actual seriousness in his tone, before he reverted back to his light cheerfulness once more, irking her. "It has come to my attention that you do not desire to dance with anyone, yet the tradition states you must..."

"So?"

"I believe it would be more reassuring to dance with someone you know rather than someone you've only just met..." Jade reasoned, his smirk widened when her glare intensified. "Now, please make you mind up soon, these old bones cannot stay in this position forever!"

"Oh shut it, Necromancer!" Violet snarled, going to slap his hand away, however she stopped and thought about it, he was technically the only person she could dance with, since she didn't really fair well with strangers. It was tradition, she had to dance with someone.

Damn it to hell!

Violet glared at Jade with a tint of red to her cheek as she harshly took his hand, her frown permanent. "I-I'm not doing this because I want to!" She told him and he chuckled, bowing his head before turning, leading her to the middle of the hall.

Jade turned to Violet and entwined his fingers with her's, holding their hands out to the side while his other hand held her waist and she placed her hand on his shoulder, taking up the proper dancing position.

They danced in sync with the other dancers, Violet making a hell of a lot of mistakes, treading on Jade's toes quite a few times and cursing so softly, even Jade had trouble hearing her.

It was only because Jade was such an excellent dancer that they actually kept up with the others. Violet's eyes widened when Jade lifted her into the air as the others did and placed her back down, taking her hand once more as they spun again.

"My, my, is it hot in here, Violet?" Jade asked as Violet's blush intensified due to sheer humiliating embarrassment. "Should I ask His Majesty to open a window?"

"Sh-shut up, Colonel!"

"Ah, what happened to 'Necromancer?'"

Violet's glare made him chuckle and she knew exactly why he had asked her in the first place, it was so he would have something amusing to do.

"You're an asshole..." Violet said sharply and Jade chuckled, spinning them both at a rather quickly before taking up the steps they had to follow.

"It appears that you don't know me as well as you think, my dear!"

"Don't you dare call me that!"

~TotA~

Time passed by quickly, Violet vowed that she would dance to only one song, but she actually found herself in the middle of the third song now, unsure how that had happened.

Jade was still smirking with amusement, obviously knowing the number of songs and how Violet had completely lost track of time.

"Having a good time, I see?" Jade teased and Violet snarled softly, glaring up at him, her cheeks tinting red.

"Sh-shut up, Colonel!"

"You're not denying my claim..." Jade mused, his smirk widening. "Can it be that you're actually enjoying yourself? Now that would be a rare sight!"

"K-keep your comments to yourself! I hate this, I'm only doing this so His Majesty doesn't get upset later!"

"I see!"

"B-bastard!"

~TotA~

Time had passed considerably now, Violet and Jade were still dancing, not actually talking anymore, but one face had an amused smile and one had an irritated frown, eyes locked as they continued to dance to each song, without a break.

"How are they still dancing?!" Anise asked, sitting on one of the tables with a glass of juice. "They haven't stopped since the ball began!"

"I'm just curious as to why they're dancing..." Guy said, smiling as he saw Violet's eyes, they weren't as cold as usual, they were actually shining, like she was enjoying herself but wouldn't let anyone see it. "I bet Jade's just messing with her, he likes to do that..."

"Yeah, his favorite pass-time is tormenting others, after all..." Luke said, taking a big drink of juice himself. Looking at them with boredom. "It would explain the arguing I could hear when me and Natalia got closer to them..."

"Don't let Violet hear you, Guy, Luke..." Ion said, looking at the two of them with a small smile. "It might not seem like it, but I believe this is helping her open up to us more! If she hears that, it might just make things worse..."

"You're right..." Guy said, sighing as he drank a little wine. "Let's let them have fun, even if their ways of having fun are completely different..."

"I think Jade's more amused than anything else..." Tear pointed out as Jade chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose, taking Violet's hand once more. It seemed he had just brushed off another of her insults.

They had a strange 'friendship.'

~TotA~

The Royal Ball was over after another hour or so, no one in the group dancing during that final hour, none of them feeling up for it anymore.

Violet was stood away from the group, glaring at everything as they walked towards the manor, bidding Luke goodnight before heading towards the inn.

"Did you have fun, Violet?" Ion asked with a smile as Violet hummed and looked towards them, seeing Jade's amused expression in the corner of her eye.

She huffed and glared at the young Fon Master. "No..." She said with a cold edge before she walked ever so slightly faster, the others frowning as they stared after her.

Jade was the only one who didn't seem fazed as he had his head held high and his hands behind his back, amusement still etched onto his features.

"Jade, did you dance with Violet to mess with her?" Guy asked, concerned for his friend, he didn't want her to get hurt, no matter how tough she was.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Guy!" Jade said with his cheerful tone, not actually giving anything away.

Guy sighed and shrugged with defeat. No one could tell what that man was thinking.

~TotA~

The night passed in a flash and a knock on Violet's bedroom door woke her up. "Oh for the love of God, leave me alone!" She barked, expecting the Colonel to be there, after all, he was usually the one to wake her up.

"M-Mistress Violet!" A soldier called from the other side of the door, causing her to hum and open an eye, not actually getting up fully. "His Majesty has requested both you and your party's audience, please be sure to stop by within the next half hour!"

Violet groaned and sat up, running her fingers through her fringe as the sun made her eyes sting, even behind the eyelids.

Another knock resounded and she sighed. "Alright, I'll go, please inform the king!"

"Ah, I see you're already awake!" Jade said cheerfully, his voice muffled by the wood. "May I come in?"

Violet glared at the door, a small blush on her cheeks as she remembered his asshole attempt at amusing himself last night. "Why should I let you in?"

"Because I believe you have something important to discuss with both me and the others?" Jade said, opening the door and stepping into the room, his hands behind his back.

"What the hell gave you that idea?"

"Your sentense when I knocked on the door..."

Violet glared at Jade, unable to make a proper comeback without sounding like an idiot. "Fine, King Ingobert has requested an audience with us!"

Jade chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose, speaking in the sweetest tone the man could muster, only succeeding in creeping Violet out. "Why thank you, Mistress Violet! Your honesty is admirable!"

"Just get out before I throw my sword at you like a spear!"

Jade turned with a soft laugh and left the room, closing the door behind him. Violet began muttering insults and curses as she slipped out of bed and grabbed her battle suit, slipping it on before tugging on her boots and strapping her sheathe to her waist.

She stopped and looked out of the window at the lively town. "I wonder what could be so important that the king would like to see us?" She muttered, taking a brush and fixing her messy hair, before ruffling it. "Can he have already concluded the peace treaty?"

A smile slipped onto her lips, small, but noticeable if anyone had been in the room. "Does this mean I won't have to follow that jackass around anymore?"

"You know, just because I close the door, does not mean I have left!" Jade's voice drifted through the wood, muffled, but still heard.

Violet's cheeks tinted pink and she turned to the door. "Dammit, would you leave me alone?!" She roared and Jade's chuckle was heard before footsteps followed, fading down the corridor.

"Asshole!"

~TotA~

"Last night, we have decided to conclude the peace treaty with the Malkuth Empire..." Ingobert informed them once they had all gathered in the throne room.

"Really?" Luke asked, excitement in his voice. "Then the war-"

"No...There is something we must do before the conclusion of the treaty..."

Luke hummed and his excitement faded as the king's attendant spoke. "Aside from the proposition of peace, a request of help was also written...A mining town in Malkuth, Akzeriuth, is currently facing a threat of a toxic miasma emitted from the ground..."

"The Malkuthian road to Akzeriuth is blocked by the miasma, so they cannot send a rescue party..." Natalia continued, looking rather worried about their citizens.

"However there is a way to the town from our country..." Ingobert continued, looking serious, not worried, just serious.

"And how does this relate to me?" Luke asked, not actually giving a damn.

"His Majesty wishes for you to accompany the rescue party as a goodwill ambassador..." Duke Fabre said, his voice serious too.

"Me?!" Luke asked, then his voice got all snobby and obnoxious. "No, thanks! I'll pass on the troubles!"

"Luke!"

Luke jumped and turned to see Violet glaring at him with her 'teacher eyes.' She could still do that, even after she had resigned?! "That sort of talk is unnacceptable! These people are asking for your help, if you were to turn you back, I would lose all respect for you!"

"Well said, Kimlasca Guardian..." Ingobert said and Violet hummed, looking at the king with confusion.

"Kimlasca Guardian? Are you referring to me, Your Majesty?" She asked, blinking as she tried to process this.

"Yes, I told you I would reward you for your trouble, did I not...From the scars on your face I see you have been through a lot over the past three weeks...Due to this, I grant you the title Kimlasca Guardian, with it you have access to all of Kimlasca and bear the responsibility of keeping its citizens safe...Protect them like you have protected Luke..."

Violet's eyes softened and she got on one knee, her hand across her chest as she spoke with gratitude, the closest Violet had ever been to happy around any of them. "Thank you, my King, I will do you proud and carry this title with honor..."

Ingobert nodded as Violet got back to her feet, crossing her arms as Ingobert spoke with Luke once more. "Luke, it is as Violet says...You mustn't talk in such a manner...There is a reason why only you can fulfill this role..."

"What do you mean 'a reason?'" Luke asked, sounding slightly bored.

"The fonstone please..." Duke Fabre said ans the knight stepped forward, showing them a large chunk of fonstone with writing on it. "This is a fragment of Yulia Jue's Sixth Fonstone that fell into our territory..."

"Tear, please read the Score written on the lower part..." Ingobert said and Tear stepped forward and placed her finger on the stone, watching as it reacted to her presence and glowed brightly. "ND 2000...In Kimlasca shall be born one who inherits the power of Lorelei...He will be a boy of royal blood with hair of red...He shall be called the Light of the Sacred Flame..."

Jade's eyes narrowed as he looked at Luke and Violet's eyes widened, giving Luke a shocked look as the boy ran his fingers through his hair, having another mini tantrum. "I don't get it at all!"

"It is talking about you, Luke!" Ingobert said, his voice holding a small sense of pride for his nephew.

Luke gasped and looked at Jade, who spoke with a small smirk. "'Luke' means 'Light of the Sacred Flame' in Anscient Ispanian..." He informed the young noble.

"So it's about...Me?"

Tear continued, having now cleared up that bit of information. "And he will lead Kimlasca-Lanvaldear to new prosperity...ND 2018...The young scion of Lorelei's power shall bring his people to the miner's city..." Her finger stopped at the end of the fonstone and she looked up, removing her finger from the stone and the glow dimmed down. "The rest is missing..." She informed the king.

"That's fine..." Ingobert said, looking at his nephew. "You understand now, don't you?"

"Until now, you have lived a very sheltered life..." Duke Fabre said, looking at his son with his usual seriousness. "However the time has now come for you to become a hero..."

"A hero..." Luke muttered, before smiling gleefully at Van.

"You can do it!" His Swords Master said and Luke became psyched.

"Alright, I'll do it!"

"I see..." Ingobert said, his tone lighter as Duek Fabre walked up to his son.

"You've made the right decision..." Duke Fabre said, looking at the young noble. "Take Guy along to look after you..."

"Violet..."

Violet hummed and turned to the king, placing her hand on her chest and bowing her head with respect. "What is it, Your Majesty?"

"I would like you to accompany them, as the Kimlasca Guardian, represent the good that this country has to offer..."

"I will not dissapoint you, my King..."

"The Order of Lorelei wishes to lend you Tear and Van..." Mohs said, his tone a little cold, like he was disappointed.

"Alright..." Ingobert said with a nod.

"Father, please let me go as an ambassador too!" Natalia asked, but her father gave her a sharp look, showing his concern for his daughter.

"I have already told you I won't!" The king said and Natalia huffed, sulking.

This was it, this was the start of it all. Violet was now recognized as a guardian of an entire country, to travel the country and help anyone who asks.

Can she bear such a large responsibility? Or will it tear her apart?

~TotA~

Luke walked out of the hall alone, seeing as everyone else had already left and he was just catching up with the others a little more. "When this is finally over, I'll be a hero..."

"Luke..."

Luke hummed and turned to see Van stood there, staring at him with a serious and solemn expression.

~TotA~

"Master, this is a great chance, isn't it?" Luke asked cheerfully as he and his Swords Master stood on the balcony on the castle, looking out at the beautiful city of Baticul.

"Luke, listen to me..." Van said, his tone not happy, not cheerful, but serious. "That Score has a continuation..."

"A continuation?"

Van looked behind him, making sure no one was listening in before he continued. "It says, 'There, the youth will turn power to calamity and be as a weapon of Kimlasca...The upper ranks in the Order believe you will bring a war..."

"There's no way I'd do that!"

"Yulia's Score has never been wrong...Not even once..."

"Then, Master, why did you-"

"I know of a way to avoid the war while freeing you..." Van said and Luke stopped and listened. "In the Score, it is said that you will move the people of Akzeriuth, and that the war will then begin...Thus, you shouldn't move the citizens, but neutralize the miasma with your hyperresonance instead, and then flee with me to Daath..."

"Flee?"

"Come with me...Become one of my Oracle Knights!"

"With you, Master?" Luke asked, excitement filling his voice. "May I really?"

"Of course..."

However Luke's expression saddened. "But...Can I do it...? I don't know if I can trigger a hyperresonance on my own..."

Van placed his hand on Luke's shoulder and the young noble looked up. "I'll help you..." The Commandant said with a kind smile. "That won't be a problem..."

"Alright!"

"Don't talk about this to anyone...If it were to fall in Kimlascan ears, your chance to get away would disappear..." Van said, turning to walk away.

"Say..." Luke started, stopping Van from leaving. "Why are you so nice to me?"

"You..." Van said, closing his eyes as he spoke. "When you were a child, you told me you wanted to go to Daath with me...You endured horrible experiments on your hyperresonance, and you wanted to get away..."

"I...Said that?"

"Yes...That is why, on that day seven years ago..." Van looked at Luke over his shoulder and said something that made Luke feel like ice had been poured down his spine. "I took you away..."

"What?" Luke gasped, shock covering his features. "You were the one? You were the one who kidnapped me?!"

"I won't fail this time..." Van said, turning to face Luke once more. "I need you..."

Luke's eyes widened before softening. 'This is the first time someone has told me they needed me...' He thought. "You're the only one who's ever treated me seriously...I'll go with you, Master!"

"Good..." Van said, placing his hand on Luke's shoulder. "Then let's go and take your future back!"

"Yes!"

Little did they know, a certain princess was listening in and that, that one conversation would change everything forever.

* * *

**A/N: That Fonon Frequency is becoming more of a mystery each day, isn't it?**

**Please review, all comments and advice are appreciated and welcome! I take criticism with a stiff upper lip, don't be afraid to speak your mind!**

**Thank you!**


	6. Chapter 6: Desert Rain

**Chapter 6 - Desert Rain**

* * *

**A/N: I do not own Tales of the Abyss.**

**I do however own Violet Brave Moon and any other OCs mentioned! Please ask permission before using them.**

**This is shorter than some of my other chapters, however it is still rather long, so make sure you have time to read it.**

**This isn't my best chapter, but I hope you like the small aspects of the game I added into it!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Violet walked down the street with a glare, towards the market in the middle of Baticul, her custody officer following behind, an amused smile on his face due to her annoyance.

"Would you stop following me?" Violet hissed, glaring at Jade over her shoulder as he held his head high and his smile widened. "It's really pissing me off! I'm not going to escape!"

"Ah, but Baticul is a big place, if I lost sight of you, you might just take that opportunity to slip away!" Jade said, his tone bright as ever as he and the young Kimlasca Guardian made their way to the market.

"I gave my word I would help with stopping this war and that's what I'm going to do!" Violet seethed, looking out at the sun, it must have been ten in the morning. "Did you wake Anise and Ion up yet?"

"No, I believe Ion will need as much rest as he can before we depart, so I left them, Anise is intelligent, she will find us once they wake up..." Jade informed her, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Now, how do you intend to pay for these items?"

Violet froze. "Oh crap..." She mumbled, opening her medicine pouch and rummaging around for her sack of Gald. "I'm sure I have enough for something..." She muttered.

She pulled out the sack and was unaware that a small piece of paper fell out too, and landed by her foot. Jade hummed and crouched down, picking up the piece of paper, before straightening up once more.

What was this?

Suddenly a hand snatched the paper and Jade looked up to see Violet sending him a harsh glare as she placed it back in her pouch. "Don't touch my things..." She said with a venomous tone. "Ever..."

"My apologies..." Jade said, smiling cheerfully, his mind calculating her reaction. "I saw you had dropped it and picked it up, I had no intention of opening it!"

"You better not, I won't hesitate to kick your ass!" Violet snarled, then went back to what she originally had to do. "Right, I have..." She counted the Gald in the sack. "Ah...I only have a thousand Gald, that's not even enough for a full set of Apple Gels!"

Jade chuckled and slipped his hand into his pocket, pulling out an elegant Gald sack, blue with a white string holding it closed. "Might I suggest we use this?"

"Keep your money to yourself!" Violet said with her usual bite. "I don't take charity!"

"Ah, but it is not for you, Violet, it is for the entire group!" Jade pointed out and Violet's glare darkened. "It wouldn't be fair to allow them to suffer for the sake of your pride!"

"Oh just give me the damn sack!" Violet growled and Jade chuckled, handing her the Gald. Sometimes she could be so easy to wind up. "We should collect something to carry the supplies in first, my pouch is overflowing..."

Violet walked over to an accessories stall and spotted several bags that would be useful for carrying items. "I think that one would suffice!" She said, pointing to the rucksack with a basic design.

"One thousand five hundred Gald..." The man said with a smirk, clearly ripping them off.

Violet's took out all the Gald she owned and some of Jade's, placing it on the stall and taking the rucksack, hefting it's weight. "Good, it should be able to hold a lot..." She said, strapping it to her back. "This should carry a good amount of food and some Gels to keep us alive..."

"What a responsible young woman!" Jade commented cheerfully and Violet glared at him, any comment he made automatically sounded like an insult.

"I don't get why people work with you..." Violet said with genuine disbelief, before turning and walking down the rows of stalls, looking for any that sell items they would need.

"You're words are so hurtful, Kimlasca Guardian!" Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose, his smirk not even budging. "Might I inquire something that is peaking my curiosity, young Violet?"

"You're not much older, cut it with that crap!" Violet glanced at him before turning her attention back on the search. "What is it?"

"The title Kimlasca Guardian seems to be one you're used to..." Jade said, smirking when Violet faltered before picking up the pace again. "Might I ask, have you had a title similar before?"

Violet stayed silent and Jade waited, even Violet had to be reasonable sometimes, right? "I am...The Engeve Guardian..." She said, glaring up at him. "I'm only telling you this because there is no point keeping it from you any longer...You'll just look up similar titles later and figure it out..."

"Ah, you know me so well!" Jade said, closing his eyes with a bright smile.

"Quit smiling like that, it's creeping me out!"

Jade chuckled and crossed his arms, both hands on his elbows. "Might I ask how you acclaimed that title?" He asked and Violet instantly closed off again.

"No, get lost!" Violet said with an icy tone, turning and going to another stall, this one selling Gels.

Jade frowned, did this have something to do with her crimes, as well?

Jade watched her as she paid for the Gels and continued on. Violet was a mystery, that much he could tell, but what had lead her to those sinful crimes, looking at her now, she didn't seem the type to kill without reason.

What lead her to the secret she had been keeping for nine years?

~TotA~

"Fon Master Ion and Anise aren't here..." Jade said as the others stood just outside the walls of the castle, waiting for the two of them before they could leave.

"I don't see Princess Natalia around either..." Guy said, looking around. Violet huffed and leaned against the wall, her arms crossed.

"Who cares about that?" Luke asked, raising his fist. "We've already said goodbye, so let's go and end this quickly, right, Master?" He turned to his teacher who smile back.

Violet glared at them for a moment before she closed her eyes.

"So, how do you plan on going to Akzeriuth?" Van asked, looking at the wisest of the group, Jade, who was wearing his ever present smile.

"Oh, yes, about that..." Jade said, turning to Van and peaking Violet's interest as she pushed off the wall and joined them. "It seems that Oracle ships are watching the Central Ocean...It's probably the Grand Maestro faction trying to interfere..."

"Colonel!" Tear gasped, shocked by Jade's assumption.

"It's the truth..." Jade said, looking back at Tear for a moment before turning to the others once more, outstretching his arms slightly as he shrugged. "Well, admittedly, it's still unconfirmed whether it really is the Grand Maestro faction..."

"So what should we do?" Luke asked, irritation leaking sharply into his tone.

"Let's send a decoy ship and head to Chesedonia by land..." Jade suggested and Guy nodded.

"The Rotelro Sea near Chesedonia is under Malkuth's control..." Guy said, and Jade nodded, continuing his explanation.

"Yes, if we manage to reach Chesedonia, we could then go to Kaitzur by ship..."

Violet groaned and walked over to Tear. "Could I see your map for a second, Tear?" She asked.

"I will take the decoy ship..." Van said, as Tear looked at Violet with confusion and pulled the map out from behind her ear. Luke made a noise of confusion and Van continued to explain. "It's been officially announced that I would join the rescue party to Akzeriuth, hasn't it?"

"Yes..." Jade said with a nod as Violet unfolded the map and took a look, her eyes scanning the page.

"Wait a minute, Master! That would mean..." Luke trailed off, unsure as to why Van made such a decision.

"It would make it more believable if they saw me embark..."

"I see..." Guy said as Violet ran her finger over the map, calculating something. "They'd be less likely to watch the land route! What do you think?" Guy looked at Jade.

The older Fonist was silent for a moment before he looked at Van. "Very well then..." He said, confirming their course of action. "Please do..."

"No way!" Luke complained and Violet looked up for a moment with a glare, ready to scold the young noble. "Master..."

"Luke!" Van said, his tone sharp and Luke instantly straightened up, making Violet huff and return to her calculations.

"Alright..." Luke grumbled, watching as Van turned and walked away, towards the port.

"I figured it out..." Violet said, looking up and getting everyone's attention. "If we were to take the land route, the minimum amount of time it will take to reach Akzeriuth will be one month, that's eight weeks..."

"E-eight weeks?!" Luke gasped, his eyes widening at the sheer amount of time it would take. "We have to travel for eight weeks?!"

"Yes, four weeks to reach Chesedonia on foot, two weeks to reach Kaitzur by boat, and another two weeks to reach Akzeriuth, since we'll have to walk from there..." Violet looked up at Jade with her usual cold expression. "Will we make it in time to save them?"

"That we cannot confirm..." Jade said, looking down at her without his usual smile, his seriousness showing. "The only thing we can do is hope that we make it in time..."

Violet tsked and looked away, glaring at the ground. Jade's eyes narrowed at her sudden anger. Did she care for people more than she showed? If she was indeed a cold-blooded killer, she would not concern herself with calculating the length of time it will take to get there and if they would make it in time.

"I will inform the king of our decision..." Jade said, pulling himself from his musings. "Please wait for me at the square below..."

Violet watched as Jade walked up to the gates and the guards opened them, allowing the Colonel to walk inside before closing them behind him. "I can't believe I have to stay in his custody for another month..." She mumbled to herself, before handing the map back to Tear.

'What about those people?' Violet asked herself, turning and walking away from the group, noting that they were following behind, talking about what they had to do. 'If we could go by sea, it would shorten the time, but even then it would take far too long...'

"Violet, are you alright?" Guy asked as Violet hummed and was pulled from her thoughts, her features going from concerned to annoyed in a split second.

"I'm fine..." Violet said, her voice cold as she picked up the pace, feeling a slight hint of guilt when she saw Guy's concern from the corner of her eye.

She huffed and her eyes sharpened. 'Why should I care what these people think of me?' She thought to herself, walking down the steps towards the square. 'Let them be concerned, it's not like it bothers me...'

~TotA~

They all stood in the square, people walking past without giving them a second glance. Luke, Guy and Tear were stood a little away from the wall, while Violet was leaning against it with crossed arms, looking out at the busy streets of Baticul.

"Damn, and I thought I could finally travel with Master, too..." Luke complained, not seeing Violet's eyes narrow at his words.

"This is part of our strategy, you know..." Tear said, looking away with closed eyes, feeling some irritation, much like Violet was.

"I know already!"

Suddenly they heard footsteps and Violet hummed as she and the others turned to see Anise running towards them. "Master Luke!" The young girl cried out as she tackled the noble.

"A-Anise!" Luke gasped, having to regain the air that the young teen had knocked from his lungs. "What's wrong?"

"It's terrible!" Anise cried, stepping back, looking up at Luke with fear. "Master Ion has disappeared!" Tear gasped as the others gained a look of concern, well except Violet, who's eyes only narrowed slightly. "When I woke up, his bed was already empty!"

"I've heard that two guards have disappeared as well..." Jade informed them as he walked over to them with a serious expression. "Mohs is trying to keep this quiet so as to avoid causing a panic..."

"I've searched the whole city for him, but I couldn't find him anywhere!" Anise said with urgency.

"Could it be...The God-Generals?" Luke asked and Violet turned to the city, glaring ahead as she remembered Asch's face, that face that unsettled her so much.

"I'm afraid so..." Jade said, his voice dropping into an even more serious tone. "And if that's the case, they are probably already outside the city..."

"Let's go after them!" Luke said with determination, stepping forward.

"That would be foolish..." Jade said, and Violet's eyes narrowed, having spotted something.

"Why?" Luke asked.

Jade turned his head as Violet pointed to the outskirts of the city, looking back at them with sharp eyes. "Because there's an Oracle ship right there!" She hissed, growling softly. "Won't those assholes leave us alone?"

"If the God-Generals are on the move, travelling by land can prove difficult too..." Guy said, looking at the others as Violet turned, walking over to them and listening with interest.

"So what?" Luke asked, annoyance seeping into his tone. "We could just beat them up and go!"

"Stop being an idiot!" Violet barked, glaring at her former student as she placed one hand on her hip and the other on the helm of her sword. "If you attack them, what would be the point in a decoy?"

Luke tsked and looked away with irritation, Violet's eyes narrowing in response. Jade stroked the end of his chin with contemplation as he sumarized the situation. "If only we could leave the city without the enemy noticing us..."

"Well, about that..." Guy started, and everyone looked at him as he spoke. "I have an idea..." Everyone listened intently after that, Guy's smile widening. "There's an old cable cart near the edge of the city, there's a way out through the area the cart leads to!"

Violet smirked and walked over to Guy, making him flinch back. "I'm surprised Guy, I didn't think you had any brains in that Fontech obsessed head of your's!" She teased.

"Ouch!" Guy complained, placing his hands on his hips. "That's not nice Violet, when did you gain such an attitude!"

"Guy, you need your eyes testing...I've _always_ been like this!"

~TotA~

Violet didn't like this, she didn't like this at all. She wanted to be outside, where it was light and spacious, but no, Guy had to pick a secret route that was small, cramped and dark.

Oh how she hated that blonde, gynophobic jackass.

The entire group were currently walking down the corridor of some abandoned mine or factory, walking two at a time because of the narrow halls. Jade and Violet were stood at the back, Anise and Tear in front of them and Mieu, Luke and Guy leading at the front of the group.

"Mohs doesn't seem to be related to this kidnapping..." Jade said as they walked down the corridor, breaking the silence. Violet jumped slightly at his voice, her nerves a little on edge due to the small, dark corridor.

"That's true..." Anise said, looking back at Jade momentarily before looking down at the floor, her hands clenched into fists. "He was pretty angry..."

"The God-Generals are probably watching the sea route as well..."

"So does that mean that Mohs doesn't have anything to do with the God-Generals?" Luke asked, looking back as Jade turned his attention to the young noble.

"Even if it does, it's not enough to prove that Mohs doesn't want the war..." Jade said and Violet scoffed, glaring ahead, forcing back the small shivers she felt whenever an insect caught her eye.

"That bastard can rot in hell for all I care..." She said coldly, then noticed they were going into an even darker room and a shudder passed through her before she could stop it.

Jade's features softened into curiosity at this before melting into his usual smirk. So Violet was afraid of the dark, was she? Oh the fun he would have with this.

"Here we are..." Guy said as they stepped into the darker room and stopped, noticing that it was in fact a large factory, weapons that were rusted and rotten scattered on some parts of the floor and large machines all around them.

"Where are we?" Tear asked.

"What is this place?" Luke wondered.

"A weapons factory?" Jade assumed, trying to lessen the questions Guy was being bombarded with, as Violet walked away from the group and picked up a sword, looking it over without touching the rusted metal.

"It was in the past..." Guy said as Violet tapped the sword off the side of a machine and arched a brow with disbelief when the metal of the sword cracked. "If we go through, we should be able to leave town!"

Luke hummed then smirked and raised his fist with determination. "Alright, then-"

"I have been waiting for you!"

Violet turned, her eyes wide as she could just make out Natalia stood on top of a machine, her hand on her hip, her clothes more battle-friendly and a bow strapped across her back.

"Princess Natalia!" Guy gasped.

"Why are you here?" Luke asked, annoyance seeping into his tone.

"As princess, I cannot simply sit back and do nothing at such an important time..." Natalia said as she jumped off the machine and walked towards them.

"Are you saying you wish to come with us?" Jade asked and Violet placed one hand on her hip, the other running through her fringe as she let out a deep sigh.

"I must protest, Princess..." Violet said, opening an eye to look at the royalty before her. "This place is dangerous and with a month of travel it will be hard...You should return to your throne..."

"Three years ago, I paid a visit to the troops during the battle in northern Chesedonia..." Natalia said, her eyes closing in a kind smile as she tried to persuade them. "I am fully prepared!"

"A visit it different to an actual battle..." Anise said, crossing her arms with a child-like look of irritation. "I think you'd better stay home..."

Violet stepped towards her. "If it would benefit you, Princess, I will escort you back to the castle myself...It's far too dangerous for you to be out here without knights or protection..."

"You need not worry!" Natalia pushed, her eyes sharpening slightly at Violet's words, almost like she had taken insult to them. "I am a master of Lanvaldear-style archery! I am a trained healer as well! I am certain I will be more useful than you!"

Violet's eyes narrowed and she growled, insulted by her words. Natalia might be princess, but even she didn't get to talk to Violet like that!

The Kimlasca Guardian opened her mouth to spit out her own insult when Luke interrupted with an annoyed comment of his own. "Whatever, just don't follow us!"

"Are you sure it's wise to say such things?" Natalia asked, looking at Luke with a serious tone and expression. "I could tell them about _that_..."

Luke hummed and his features softened. "What are you talking about?" He asked as Violet blinked, listening intently.

"I heard what you and Dorian General Grants-"

Luke hissed out her name and pushed her away from the group, everyone looking rather confused at Luke's outburst. "How much did you hear?" The young noble asked with a hushed voice, so the others could not hear him.

"I learned that he was the one who kidnapped you, and that you are planning to flee to Daath..." Natalia said, her voice just as quiet.

"What else? Did you hear anything else?"

"Nothing else..." Natalia said, insulted that he would think so little of her, she turned and stood in front of him, staring at him with seriousness in her hazel eyes. "It was not my intent to eavesdrop..."

"You haven't told anyone yet, right?"

"I have not..." She said, feeling more insulted than before. "I am not so indiscreet as to share other people's secrets!"

"R-really?" Luke asked, relief in his tone. "That's great!"

Natalia's face softened into sadness. "You won't even tell Guy? What about Violet? She's cared for you for years...If she were to find out that Dorian General Grants-"

"Ahhh I don't care what Violet thinks!" Luke said, a huff of annoyance leaving him. His favorite emotion, annoyance. He didn't realize how much it irritated the others. "She's just a pain, she doesn't care about me, or anyone!"

Natalia's eyes hardened and she scowled. "Is that really what you think?" She asked and Luke tsked, noticing the judgmental tone in her voice.

"Yeah!" Luke barked, then his features softened. "Master told me not to tell anyone, including Guy..."

"Did he?"

Luke made a noise of discomfort and looked away. "If I let you come along, will you keep quiet?"

Natalia smiled and placed her hand on her chest. "If you try to remember our promise, even after your escape..."

Luke thought it over before he let a small smile grace his lips. "Okay!" He said, holding up his little finger. "Let's pinky swear!"

"Pinky swear?" Natalia asked, looking at Luke's raised pinky. "You used to hate that, did you not?"

"Huh?"

Natalia forced a smile onto her features and spoke in a soft voice. "No, it's nothing!" She said, taking his pinky with her own, locking the promise.

Luke then turned to the group who were waiting for the silent conversation to end. "I've decided to let Natalia come with us!" He said and everyone, except Jade, made faces of disbelief.

"No way!" Anise gasped, stepping forward.

"Luke!" Guy scolded, shocked that Luke would put the princess in danger.

"Are you an idiot?" Violet asked, running her fingers through her fringe.

"Be quiet!" Luke barked and Violet's eyes opened, a sharp glare meeting Luke's eyes and making him nervous. Oh how he hated it when she looked at him like that. "I'm the goodwill ambassador, the one in charge! My decisions are absolute!"

"No they are not!" Violet snarled, stepping forward and dropping her hand to her side. "I am the Kimlasca Guardian, it is my job to protect the people of Kimlasca, especially the royal family! Princess Natalia cannot come with us and _that_ is final!"

"Who gave you the authority to boss me around?" Luke barked, glaring at his former Swords Master. "You gave up your job! You can't tell me what to do anymore!"

"Don't talk to me like that, Luke! I will not tolerate such disrespect!"

"I don't care! You're not my Master, you're not my mentor, you're not my teacher! Just get lost and go home!"

Suddenly Natalia gasped and turned just as two large arachnid monsters jumped off from the platforms above, alerted of their presense by the noise that Luke and Violet were making.

Violet's face paled and she shuddered violently, stepping back as the spiders jumped off the platforms.

Natalia pulled out her bow and shot two arrows at once, killing the two spiders instantly as their bodies hit the floor. Violet staring at them with wide eyes as they laid there, unmoving.

"I won't be a burden..." Natalia said as Violet managed to regain her composure. "And also, please speak to me normally and drop the honorifics as well! Otherwise people may realize I'm a princess!"

Guy sighed as Anise spoke. "Somehow..." She muttered and trailed off, allowing Tear to continue for her.

"...I feel concerned about the future..."

"Oh dear..." Jade sighed, his face taking on it's usual smile as he pushed his glasses up his nose and turned to continue. "Shall we be on our way?"

"I hate the fact that he enjoys our arguments..." Violet said with a hint of anger in her voice, still seething over Luke's disrespect. "Come on, if we don't hurry, we'll be too late..."

Everyone watched as Violet all but marched after Jade, anger evident in her eyes and in her body language. Luke's words had hit home it seemed.

Everyone gave Luke a sharp. scolding look before following them, Luke grumbling as he followed behind. Why did he have to put up with this, he was the goodwill ambassador, dammit!

~TotA~

It had been maybe an hour since Natalia had joined them and the entire group were walking across a high platform, Violet both relieved and unnerved. Relieved because there was a considerable amount of space compared to the corridors and unnerved in case there were anymore spiders.

She had to keep her face neutral though, which she had become exceptionally good at, as to stop the Colonel's unbearable teasing.

"Let us hurry!" Natalia called to the group over her shoulder, sounding like she was the one in charge.

"What is this?" Anise whined, glaring at Natalia. Clearly jealous that Luke was her fiance. "She just told us not to treat her like a princess, and now she's acting all high and mighty!"

Tear sighed and looked at Natalia with a kind, albeit uncomfortable smile. "Natalia, we don't know what lies ahead...Let's walk a little slower!"

"Was this really a good idea?" Guy asked, standing on Jade's left while Violet stood at his right, as not to give the young servant a heart attack.

"It must be hard to look after her..." Jade said, his tone light and his smile one of amusement. "You have my sympathies!"

Guy huffed and looked at Jade with disbelief. "You say that like you don't plan on helping!"

Then Violet's face softened as Jade let out the most terrible laugh she had ever heard. Her shoulder shook as she felt laughter bubble up.

Oh this was just perfect. Now she wouldn't be able to look him in the eye without that laugh replaying over and over in her head.

"What did you expect?" Jade asked, his voice taking on a tone far too light for the man to be taken seriously. He even closed his eyes and gave a sweet smile, which unnerved Violet like hell. "I respectfully decline!"

"Listen here..." Guy muttered with an awkward smile.

"What are you muttering about?!" Natalia called back to them, a bite in her voice. Oh, she had heard most of the conversation then?

"Ah, n-nothing!" Guy stammered, looking nervous and Violet chuckled, a small smirk on her lips. This reminded her of the day they were thrown into this little adventure.

"Oh dear, now she's angry at us!" Jade said, amusement shining in his voice. Violet heard a scuttle beside her and saw a small spider, shivering softly as he eyes went wide.

Oh God she hated spiders.

"You're so noisy!" Luke complained, getting everyone to look at him as Violet's small expression of fear turned into one of irritation. "Stop chattering and walk faster!"

"You sure are enthusiastic!" Jade said, his amusement evident, this man needed a new sense of humor, big time.

"Of course! I'm the goodwill ambassador! You lot, keep quiet and follow me!"

Violet let out a low rumble of a growl, who did he think he was, talking to them like he owned them?

~TotA~

Two hours passed this time and Luke's expression was a mix between boredom and annoyance. Violet's was a mix between discomfort and well hidden fear. "How much longer do we have to walk?" Luke asked, his tone obnoxious.

"Is it much farther to the exit?" Natalia asked, looking around with disgust at the rusty machines. "It's dusty and dark here...I really do not like this place..."

"If you don't like it, just go home!" Luke said, looking at Natalia over his shoulder. He would do anything at this point to get her to turn back.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Natalia asked, her tone containing that princess bite she had mastered so very long ago.

"If you know you're not wanted, why don't you go back?" Anise asked, her tone low and dark as she glared at her 'rival.'

"Did you just say something?" Natalia snapped, turning and stopping, forcing everyone else to stop too, Violet making an 'oomph' noise as she collided with Jade's back, having been too busy looking out for any more spiders to notice the sudden halt.

"Aah, Master Luke, I'm scared!" Anise cried, diving onto Luke and holding his waist with a grip even a crowbar couldn't break. "Natalia is being mean to me!"

"Ah let go of me!" Luke cried out, looking down at the teen against him. "You're holding on too tight!"

"Luke! What do you think you're doing, clinging to that child?!" Natalia barked, anger seeping into her tone and echoing in the small corridor.

"She's the one who's clinging to me!"

"Master Luke prefers younger girls, doesn't he?" Anise asked, smirking at Natalia, obviously trying to one-up the young princess.

"You mean little children, do you not?" Natalia said, placing her hand on her chest as she spoke with an angry smile. "Luke and I have a long history together..." Her tone got sharper as she thrust her arm out, trying to emphasize her point.

"But, but, he can stay longer with someone younger!" Anise pointed out, Violet stepping out from behind Jade to listen to the arguement, just as Anise held Luke tighter and nuzzled against him. "With this, Master Luke's colors will rub off on me, and I'll belong to him~!"

"Get off him this instant!" Natalia barked, now angered to the point of no return as she grabbed Anise's shoulders and yanked the young teen away from her fiance.

"Ah, Master Luke!"

"Really, you're both annoying!" Luke snarled, rubbing the back of his head as both girls yelled his name in shock.

"They seem to be having fun!" Jade said brightly, closing his eyes as he continued walking and Violet walked in step with him, the others following Luke who was now ahead.

"In what possible way could they be 'having fun?'" Violet asked, arching a brow when Jade opened his eyes and looked down at her, listening to her. "You need to get a new pair of glasses Jade, you obviously can't see very well..."

"Actually my eyes are both 20/10..." Jade told her, smirking when she gasped and looked up at him with shock. "I couldn't be a soldier if my eyes weren't at their best!"

"Then what the hell do you wear glasses for?" Violet asked and Jade chuckled, pushing the accusing frames up his nose.

"They're a special fon machine I developed to act as a power limiter..." Jade explained, holding the band as he spoke, his eyes closed.

"Power limiter? What do you need that for?"

"For my Fonic Sight!" Jade said, looking at her with those red eyes of his. "I applied a Fonic Arte to my eyes which greatly enhances my Fonic power, without these glasses, that Fonic power will rise and go out of control and I will most likely go blind..."

Violet blinked and processed this information. "So you have 'Fonic Sight?' I've never heard of that before...Is that why your eyes are red?"

"No, I was born with red eyes, however when the Fonic Sight was applied, it did add to the color more, giving my eyes a much redder hue..."

"That's..." Violet didn't even know what to answer with that wouldn't stroke the older man's ego, so she just asked. "Can I see these Fontech glasses then? You know, before Guy hears and tackles you to the ground just to look at them?"

Jade chuckled and placed his finger on one of the arms of the glasses, closing his eyes as he pulled them from his face and held them out for her. "Of course, here..."

Violet was shocked for a moment, too shocked to notice the glasses. "Wow!" Anise gasped, looking back at Jade, who hummed and listened. "I thought you looked young for your age Colonel, but now you look even younger...Almost..."

"I must admit, you have a beautiful face, Jade..." Natalia said, looking back at Jade as well as he seemed a little curious.

Violet cocked her head to the side and really took in Jade's features. He had a sculpted face and didn't seem to have any wrinkles, at all. He was actually rather handsome.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Where the hell did that come from?!

Violet huffed and looked away, her cheeks a darker shade of red. "You all need glasses if you think this man is even remotely beautiful..."

"Oh that hurts, Violet..." Jade said with a sigh, sarcasm evident in his tone as they kept walking. "I always thought I had a beautiful face, but you've just shattered my heart..."

"Damn, you're so obnoxious!" Luke called back, glaring at them over his shoulder. "Quit talking and hurry up!"

"Oh shut up, Luke!" Violet barked, glaring back. However she hummed when something was placed into her hand, looking down she saw Jade's glasses.

"I believe you wanted to inspect them?" Jade said, straightening up with his chin held high as he looked down at her.

Violet looked at the glasses and lifted them up, staring at them as she looked over the craftsmanship and design. "They just look like ordinary glasses to me..." She said, placing them on her nose and looking around. "They work though, so how do you not damage your eyes?"

"Who knows!" Jade said cheerfully as Violet looked up at him, wearing his glasses. How amusing.

Violet huffed and pinched the band, sliding the glasses off her face and placing them in Jade's hand. "You know, one of these days I'll figure out what you're thinking and you'll have a heart attack out of sheer shock..."

"Don't sound too hopeful, my dear!"

Violet faltered and glared at Jade, a small tint of pink on her cheeks. "Don't call me that. Ever!" She snarled, then caught up and walked with him again.

Jade chuckled and the group fell into silence again for about ten minutes, Violet looking at the ground in front of her to distract herself from the knawing fear she felt from both the small dark spaces and the large arachnids she didn't want to see again.

The Necromancer at her side hummed as he noticed that Tear was looking around with discomfort, not hiding it like Violet was. "Tear?"

Suddenly Tear let out a scream that echoed the halls and Violet followed suit, diving back a few feet and looking at Tear with wide eyes. Anise clinging to Luke with just as much fear.

No one said anything as Tear and Violet looked at everyone, their cheeks a bright shade of red.

"What's wrong?" Jade asked, looking from Violet to Tear. Neither of the women had ever screamed before, so this was a new development for them.

"N-nothing!" Tear said, nervousness seeping into her tone as Violet scoffed and lowered her head with her eyes closed, walking past them all with hurried steps, embarrassment in her movements.

"What do you think happened, Master Luke?" Anise asked, looking up at the man she had clung to as he looked down and spoke with boredom.

"I don't know..."

Natalia hummed and noticed that Anise was clinging to Luke once more. "Get away from him!" She barked and Anise huffed, holding Luke tighter.

"No~!" Anise whined, pouting like a child. "It's so dark and humid in here, the ghosts might come out!"

"They won't!" Tear screamed and everyone looked at her again, aside from Violet, who was stood a little away from the group, her arms crossed and her head low, refusing to meet anyone's eyes.

Especially Jade's, who she could feel burning into the side of her skull.

"Th-that's not possible!" Tear stammered as she continued down towards Violet, looking at the others over her shoulder. "Th-there are no such things!"

However she knocked into a fallen socket and screamed again, holding her head before she realized everyone was looking at her and hummed, looking up. "I-it's nothing!" Tear stammered, her cheeks now as bright a red as Jade's eyes. "Let's hurry!"

She turned and walked away as Jade pointed out the obvious, trying to enlighten the less bright members of the group. "It seems like she's afraid..." He said, then smirked and pushed his glasses up his nose, glancing at Violet, who caught his eyes and looked away, forcing the blush from her cheeks.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Luke said with a small amount of amusement in his voice as Jade chuckled and continued.

"Shall we continue? Tear might scream again if we don't stay by her..." He said and then he walked straight over to Violet, stopping beside her.

"I-I don't care what you say, Necromancer, I wasn't scared!" Violet hissed out, turning and continuing down the corridor, lagging behind the others, Jade walking behind her.

"Oh? So that scream earlier?"

"I-it was to alert the others of danger, that's all! I wasn't afraid! I'm not scared of anything!"

Jade's smirk widened and his eyes shined with a challenge. Deciding to test her theory, he lifted his hand and began to crawl his fingers up her back, in a spider-like motion.

Violet stiffened and her eyes widened as she felt the fingers crawl up her back. It took her a moment, but in the split second that followed, she screamed and sput around, swatting at her back. "GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"

Jade stood there with his hand outstretched, amusement playing in his eyes as the others stopped and turned to see Violet hum and feel her back, not finding a spider.

She looked at Jade and saw his hand outstretched, anger burning through her in that split second. "How dare you!" She snarled, storming up to Jade and leaning in close, trying to look threatening, however it just brushed past Jade like the wind. "You sarcastic, self-centered, poor excuse for a human being!"

"What hurtful words..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose, his smirk pissing her off to the max. "I was merely playing a joke, dear Violet, there is no need to get upset!"

"I'll show you upset in a minute!" She barked, pushing Jade back a step before she turned and stormed away from the group, muttering curses that would make Yulia Jue turn in her grave.

However Jade seemed unaffected by her push or her words. "Oh dear..." He sighed, his tone anything but sincere as everyone gave him an awkward smile. "I believe I might have upset our brave Violet!"

"Piss off, Asshole!" Violet's voice echoed down the corridor and everyone but Jade sighed and continued after her. Even Tear had forgotten her fears for the brief moment Violet flipped out.

Well, that's one way to get someone to open up a little more.

~TotA~

Twenty minutes passed since then and they all entered another larger space, Tear on edge, Violet walking in front of the others, not even meeting Jade's eye and Luke looking exceptionally bored with his fingers entwined behind his head. "This is lame..." The young noble pointed out with a sigh.

Although Luke wasn't, Mieu was excited about everything, flying from one side of the group to another, speaking with his adorably high voice. "Master, what's that big thing?" He asked, looking at one machine before going to another. "And that one?" Then another. "That one?"

Luke snarled and cuaght Mieu as he flew back towards him. "Gah, shut up! How should I know, Thing?" He began to spin Mieu by his ear.

"I'm sorry!" Mieu cried in the midst of being spun around constantly.

"Luke!" Tear shouted with a scolding tone, making the noble stop spinning Mieu and glare at her.

"That thing's so annoying! He won't shut up!" Luke said with that irritating tone of his, lifting Mieu and looking down at the dizzy Cheagle.

Natalia looked at Luke and sighed, looking down with a deep frown, remembering how Luke was and how much he had changed.

_Luke and Natalia stood on the edge of the cliff, looking out at the city of Baticul, a promise just spoken between them. Natalia smiled brightly and lifted her pinky in a promise, however Luke just looked away._

_Natalia hummed and realized that Luke hated that way of promising._

_~TotA~_

_"Princess Natalia, you mustn't!" One of the maids begged as Natalia pushed open the door._

_"Just let me go!" Natalia called as she ran into the room and saw Luke on his bed. "Luke!" She cried out, stopping and smiling at the young boy. "Luke, you're...You're safe..."_

_She hummed when Luke sat there, staring at her like she was a scary beast, shaking like a leaf with his knees tucked to his chest._

_She realized only a moment later that Luke had no memories prior his kidnapping, his expression alone proved that._

_~TotA~_

_Natalia leaned over the edge of her bed, sobbing into the blankets as she recalled the murmured words of the maids._

_**"The poor girl..."**_

_**"If Master Luke is in this state, what will happen to their engagement?"**_

_Natalia lifted her head and wiped her eyes, shooting the blankets a determined glare as she realized she had to help Luke recover his memories, at all costs._

_~TotA~_

_Luke knocked his books to the floor glaring at Natalia as she stood before him, Brave sat on the window sill, having been asked to watch over the children by Guy as he went grocery shopping._

_"This won't do, Luke!" Natalia told the boy with a scolding tone as he made noises of angry defiance. "Luke!" She called again, only to sigh and crouch down, picking up the books one by one._

_"You will one day inherit the duchy..." Natalia informed the young noble as she piled the books in her hand, getting glances from Brave as she did so. "And you are also my fiance...You have to study hard and get your memories back quickly!"_

_Luke huffed as Natalia put the books down and spoke with annoyance. "Noisy, Natalia..."_

_"I am not noisy!" Natalia defended as Brave gasped and turned her head to stare at the young master. "If you could at least learn to read-"_

_She gasped and realization finally hit her. "What did you say right now?" Natalia asked, then grabbed Luke's arm, trying to get a response. "Luke!"_

_Luke growled and jerked his arm back, forcing Natalia to release it. "Natalia, noisy! Noisy, Natalia!" Then he pushed and and Brave stood up just as the boy froze, realizing what he'd done._

_"My name..." Natalia whispered, smiling even though she had been pushed. "You called me by my name..." She wiped her tears away as Luke gave her a look of confusion. "It's okay, don't worry...I will make sure you recover! I swear it on my love..."_

"From your perspective as his childhood friend and fiancee, is his amnesia really grave?" Jade asked and Natalia looked at him over her shoulder, broken from her reverie.

"I do not worry!" Natalia said, forcing her voice to sound soft and cheerful, even though she felt everything but cheerful. "I will help him become the Luke I knew again, without fail!"

Jade let out the quietest of sighs, so quiet only he could have heard it, his features remaining expressionless as Natalia whispered softly to herself. "And he will remember that promise too, I am certain..."

Natalia quickened her pace and Violet hummed as the princess passed her. "Hey, walk a little slower, will you?" Luke called to Natalia.

"Natalia, I must agree with Luke, if we get impatient, we will make mistakes and it could cost us our lives!" Violet said, prompting Natalia to look at them over her shoulder.

"Fon Master Ion has been abducted..." Natalia started, sounding serious. "Moreover, people are suffering at Akzeriuth!"

"I understand your feelings..." Tear started, sounding rather uncomfortable with this whole situation, she wasn't used to this sort of thing it seemed. "But it's because the situation is so urgent that we need to be cautious!"

"She's right, Your Highness..." Guy said and Natalia turned an annoyed expression.

"Guy! I told you to drop the honorifics!" Natalia scolded and Violet sighed, running her fingers through her fringe, the beginnings of a headache forming between her eyes.

"Oh right! My apologi- Er, I mean...S-sorry..." Guy stammered, not used to talking informally with the royal family.

"Well then, let us go..." Natalia said, turning and walking further on.

"Wait!" Tear called as she spotted something and Natalia turned.

"What now?" She asked as everyone gasped and spotted something above, Violet's eyes widening and her entire body trembling at what she saw. "At this rate, it will be evening before-" Natalia finally realized what the others were looking at and gasped, turning and seeing a large spider on the platform above.

The princess quickly took an arrow and shot it at the spider, however it just bounced off and the spider. Suddenly the large arachnid jumped from the platform. "Watch out!" Tear called as she ran towards the princess the spider was aiming for and knocked both herself and Natalia out of the way as it landed where Natalia had previously been stood.

"Let's go!" Luke called as he and Guy pulled out their swords, Jade swiping both hands out in opposite directions grabbing the slash of Fonons that appeared and forcing them to dissipate, leaving a spear in their place.

Violet growled and braved it, taking out her sword and glaring at the spider, she could do this, it was just a bug! However her hands trembled and the sword flickered, unable to channel her Fonons due to her terror.

Luke ran at the spider and avoided it's webs as Jade jumped onto several pipes and Guy jumped up and pushed off a platform, falling towards it. Violet ran fast at the spider and dropped into a skid when she was almost hit with a web.

The four of them slashed the spider at once and stood a little distance from it, Violet now on her feet once more, none of them moving as it fell to the ground.

They all relaxed and turned to face the dead beast before them. "What is that thing?" Luke asked as he, Violet and Guy re-sheathed their swords, Violet's hands shaking as she did so.

Jade was the one to respond, turning his spear back into Fonons and pushing his hands closer together, causing the Fonons to dissipate and return to his body. "It seems to be some sort of insect that was nesting here..."

"This has been bothering me for a while..." Guy started, completely changing the subject. "But that spear..."

Violet hummed and looked at Jade, the same curiosity in her tone as well. "Yeah, I've wondered about that too, how do you manage to make your spear appear and disappear like that?"

"It's a fusion technique that uses the contamination effect..." Jade explained, his voice light and his smile returning as he lifted his hand and his entire limb from the elbow to the tips of his fingers glowed with the same green Fonons his spear was composed of.

"Contami...?" Luke asked, not understanding a word.

"Is that where materials are split into Fonons and elements?" Guy asked, crossing his arms as he too tried to understand this complicated technique.

"Yes it is..." Jade said as Violet placed one hand on her hip and the other kept a grip on the helm of her sword. "Organic and inorganic entities are differentiated by their Fonons, and also by their elements...I utilize this phenomenon to fuse my spear with the outer layer of my right arm and hide it there..."

"It's a really complicated technique that he can use because he's the colonel!" Anise said, stepping forward with excitement in her tone.

"Damn..." Violet breathed as Jade dropped his arm, the other behind his back and a smile fixed onto his features. "Not only do you have Fonic Sight, but you can fuse your spear with your arm as well?" Violet let out a soft noise of surprise and smirked, an insult leaving her lips. "You really are a freak, aren't you?"

"Oh now that's harsh..." Jade said with mock hurt, his tone just as sarcastic as ever. "What did I do to receive such abuse?"

"Would you like a list?"

"Ah, that would be very helpful!"

Violet chuckled and ran her fingers through her fringe, the sudden shock of the spider causing her to forget her anger. Everyone hummed as Natalia muttered softly. "Ah, um, Tear..."

Tear hummed and listened.

"Thank you for saving me..." Natalia continued, looking rather ashamed of herself as Tear reassured her it was fine and the princess turned to the others. "I also apologize to everyone for being a burden...From now on I will be more careful!"

"Huh?" Anise hummed as Guy nodded and Violet bowed her head with approval, taking in her sincerity. "She's unexpectedly humble..."

Luke huffed and everyone looked at him as he turned and walked away. "Don't get in the way!" He told her and both Tear and Violet's eyes narrowed with irritation.

Who the hell does he think he is?!

~TotA~

"If I remember correctly, the exit should be around here..." Guy said, looking around for the door with a hum.

"Master, what's this?" Mieu asked, getting everyone's attention as the small Cheagle pressed a button and cried out in fear as the door Guy was looking for opened.

The blonde servant walked over and looked inside, turning to the others with both triumph and relief in his voice. "It's the emergency exit! We can get out through here!"

"Really?!" Luke asked with excitement and Violet sighed, hiding her own smile of relief. Thank God, she didn't like this place, at all.

"Well then, shall we be on our way?" Jade asked and the entire group nodded and took a single file line through the tunnel.

Luke was at the front, and everyone followed behind. The tunnel was dark and cramped and Violet had her fists clenched while taking deeper breaths, not liking this one bit.

"Violet?" Jade asked, standing right behind her, she jumped slightly and glared at Jade over her shoulder. "Is something bothering you?"

"N-no!" Violet lied with venom in her tone. "I'm fine! Just leave me alone!"

Jade straightened up with his head held high and a smirk on his lips, both hands in his pockets. Violet was afraid of small dark spaces and spiders by the sounds of it.

What an amusing set of facts.

~TotA~

Luke climbed down the ladders until he got to the bottom and looked out at the wasteland before him, the landscape soaked with rain. "Where are we?" He asked, letting go of the ladders and walking towards the ledge.

He gasped when he spotted the Tartarus and two people about to enter it. One was unmistakably Fon Master Ion, but the other was a teenager with long dark red hair.

Luke shivered and placed his hand on his chest, the sight of the teen giving his stomach a churning sensation, like dread and fear. 'What the-' Luke thought to himself. 'Why do I feel uneasy?'

Jade, Guy, Violet and Tear, who had just gotten down from the ladders, turned when they heard Luke draw his sword and run towards the ledge, jumping off and running at the Tartarus.

"Give Ion..." Luke shouted, getting the attention of Asch the Bloody, the man with the red hair. "Back to us!" Luke finished, jumping into the air and slashing his sword down.

A clash was heard as two swords locked and Asch looked up, causing Luke to gasp as he saw a familiar face, well, more than familiar, this face echoed his own, like looking in a mirror.

"That's-" Anise gasped as the others finally made it over and all got a look at Asch's face, Violet and Jade less surprised than the others, having seen Asch's face before.

"What's happening?" Natalia asked.

Tear gasped, shocked by the sight of the two Luke's. This was impossible, there was such a thing as doppelgangers, yes, but this was just absurd!

"So it's you!" Asch roared, slashing at Luke, pushing his sword back and knocking Luke from the stairs, causing the young noble to hit the ground below rather hard.

Violet went to help, pulled by her former duty to protect Luke, but an arm bumped against her chest and she looked up to see that Jade had outstretched his arm, telling her to stay put.

Asch jumped down and landed a few feet from Luke, glaring at the young noble as he looked at the God-General, unsure what to say or think.

"Luke!" Guy called, running forward, only to step back when a blast hit the ground in front of him from the Tartarus cannon.

"_Asch! Ion is our priority for now!_" A voice echoed through the communicator and Asch looked back at the vhicle.

"I know..." Asch said, slipping his sword back into the sheath before turning and looking at Natalia, who gasped as a sudden wave of familiarity shot through her.

Violet's eyes widened as Asch turned and gave her a look too, his features softening slightly at the fact that he had not killed her last time they met.

"You're pretty popular for a piece of trash..." Asch said, looking at Luke with a face that showed disgust. "Dragging these women around with you..."

Luke just stared at Asch as the Tartarus began moving once more and Asch ran after it, jumping onto the stairs before it picked up speed.

"Who was that?" Natalia asked as Jade dropped his arm, satisfied that Violet would not pursue them, she too had been sent into shock, like the others.

"That was Asch the Bloody..." Anise said, her voice equally as quiet as Natalia's. "But..." She couldn't wrap her head around their looks, Luke and Asch looked like twins, but Luke would have mentioned if he had a twin, and he seemed just as surprised as they were.

"That guy..." Luke started, his brain practically malfunctioning with this information. "His face was...The same as mine..." He made a choking noise and dropped to his knees, holding his hand over his mouth as he felt like he was going to be sick.

"Luke!" Tear called as she and the others ran over, all but Violet as Jade walked towards them, not alarmed like the others.

"Master!" Mieu cried, worried for the boy as Violet stared at the Tartarus, her eyes wide. That man was familiar to her, however it wasn't because they had met before.

It was deeper than that, like she had known him for a long time. Just who was he and why did he loo like Luke?

"Are you alright?" Guy asked, breaking Violet from her thoughts as she shook her head and tried to calm her confused thoughts, running her fingers through her wet hair, the rain soaking her to the bone.

"We were seen by the enemy..." Jade said as he stood beside Guy, looking out at the Tartarus, which was considerably far away by now, his arms crossed and his face serious. "The decoy strategy is a failure..." He looked down at Luke, who was still holding his hand over his mouth. "What should we do? Follow Ion by foot, or return to Baticul and cross the sea as originally planned?" He pushed his glasses up his nose and kept his finger on the band, waiting for Luke to reply.

"Colonel!" Tear gasped.

"This is not the time!" Guy said, trying to help his master.

"Why?" Luke asked, glaring up at Jade as Violet looked down at the ground, trying to shake the fact that she felt unnerved by the God-General known as Asch the Bloody. "Why am I the one who has to decide?"

"Aren't you the one in charge?" Jade asked, his tone light and his smirk slipping back in place as he lowered his hand. Violet huffed out a soft laugh, glad for the distraction.

It seemed Jade did have his uses, after all.

"We...We're following Ion!" Luke said, his expression determined, he wanted to find out just who Asch the Bloody was, and soon.

~TotA~

Violet cursed as later that night she had to cover her face with her blanket, the rain still beating down hard. However her mind wasn't focusing on the rain. "Dammit!" She roared, sitting up and staring out at the mountains surrounding them. "Why can't I stop thinking about Asch's face?!"

"The same reason Luke can't..." Jade said, making Violet jump and look at the Colonel as he stood there, his arms crossed as he watched for any signs of danger. "You have a strange feeling about him, don't you?"

"I don't know what's going on in that head of your's Colonel, but you better tell me! Now!" Violet snarled, standing up and glaring at Jade, who just spared her a glance.

"I believe right now Ion takes priority, we should focus on that..." Jade said, deflecting the conversation like an expert, this man had done this before it seemed.

"No! You tell me why Asch looks so damn familiar, why I can't shake the fact that I've seen him before, and I don't mean when he attacked us on the Tartarus, I meant before that, like I've known him for years!"

"You need sleep, it's nothing more than your imagination..." Jade said, then pushed his glasses up his nose, his eyes closed as he spoke with a serious tone. "If you continue to make wild accusations, the truth will be lost to you..."

"Tell me Necromancer! Natalia felt the same thing, so don't say it's my imagination! We talked about it earlier!" Violet was shaking now, wanting to know the truth.

"Violet!" Jade's tone alone made her gasp and calm herself, he had an air of authority and right now, he had just shot that authority at her, scolding her with just the simple use of her name.

Violet ran her fingers through her fringe, realizing that she had basically been blaming Jade for everything, even if it wasn't intentional. "Whatever..." She muttered, climbing back into bed.

"The reason he looks familiar to both you and Natalia is because he shares the same face as Luke, nothing more..." Jade explained, now that she had calmed down. Everyone was shaken from the shock, Violet was no exception. "Get some rest, you'll need it if we are to face them again in battle..."

Violet huffed and laid down, too agitated to argue like she normally would. She stared at the sky with a soft sigh before she closed her eyes and fell into her dreams.

Which turned to nightmares not ten minutes later.

~TotA~

The desert was scalding hot and the entire group was feeling the heat, well except for Jade, who looked just as composed as ever.

Two weeks had passed in next to no time at all and they had finally reached the sandy hell known as the desert. Oh what a hot hell it was. No one was smiling, not even a single joke was made, the events of that day still playing through their minds.

It had been the quietest two weeks anyone had ever seen from this group.

'An inescapable fate...' Jade thought to himself as he looked down at the ground. 'Is it even foreseen by the Score?'

Suddenly Luke froze and dropped to his knees in pain, a golden glow surrounding him as he held his head like it threatened to split apart.

"Master, what's wrong?" Mieu cried out as the others ran over, all concerned for the young master, except Violet, who stayed the furthest back, just looking at Luke with her usual cold expression.

At least Violet was back to normal.

"Those headaches..." Violet groaned, running her fingers through her sweaty fringe. "Will they ever leave you alone?"

"'Those headaches?'" Tear repeated, unsure what the Kimlasca Guardian was referring to.

"They seem to be aftereffects to his kidnapping..." Natalia explained, sounding concerned and solemn at the same time. "His head sometimes hurts, and sometimes he even hears voices..."

"Who...Who's there?" Luke said, looking up at nothing, had his sanity finally escaped him? "You're...Asch!"

Everyone, but Jade, gasped and continued to listen to this one sided conversation.

"What?" Luke gasped, his eyes wide as he looked ahead, everyone but Jade and Violet showing their concern for the young noble's mental health. "Wait, Asch!" Luke stretched out his hand as the pain finally faded.

"Luke!" Natalia called, hoping to get Luke to return to his senses.

"You said 'Asch,' if I'm not mistaken?" Jade asked, trying to shed some light on the scene they had just witnessed.

"The Zao Ruins, he said..." Luke informed them, repeating what he had heard as he stood up and glared at the desert around him. "Ion is at the Zao Ruins!"

Then the Zao Ruins was their next stop.

* * *

**A/N: Oh my God, Violet complimented Jade, albeit in her head, but still! She said he had his uses! O_O**

**I hoped you all like the small explanations of Fonic Sight I added into this!**

**Please review, all comments and advice are appreciated and welcome! I take my criticism with a stiff upper lip and I look forward to hearing your views!**

**Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7: Isolation

**Chapter 7 - Isolation**

* * *

**A/N: I do not own Tales of the Abyss.**

**This chapter is longer than any of the others, which is a surprise because I thought Chapter 4 would be the longest.**

**Make sure you have time to read it, as it is far longer than Chapter 4 was.**

**Warning: This chapter contains one body being possessed by another mind.**

**You have been warned.**

**I think I spent the longest on this chapter than any of the others, and I had to edit a lot to get it just right.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The heat was stifling, they had been in this desert for maybe four hours, and already Violet had to take out some water from her bag and take a long, satisfying mouthful.

"If we keep going on like this, I'm going to dry up and shrivel into a husk and die..." Anise whined as Violet huffed and handed the bottle to Guy, who took two gulps, before handing it to Jade, who declined, saying he wasn't thirsty.

Violet was surprised by that more than the heat of the desert itself.

"Master, you walk too fast..." Mieu whined, the metal ring around his belly hot to touch, the poor thing was probably suffering more than anyone else.

"Shut up, Thing!" Luke called back to the tired Cheagle. "I don't want to keep Master Van waiting!"

Jade sighed softly with a smile, cocking his head to the side. "Our goal isn't to catch up with Van, you know..."

"That aside..." Tear started, looking back at Jade as Violet wiped her forehead, eyes stinging with the heat and sand, her forehead slick with sweat. "I don't understand...How come Luke can hear Asch's voice?"

Jade stopped and stroked his chin as he took in Tear's question and calculated an answer, the others stopping too, aside from Luke. "Dist probably did something to him in Choral Castle..."

"Yeah, but Dist did something to me too, how come I don't hear Asch's voice?" Violet asked, grimacing as her battle suit clung to her more than usual. Alright, sometimes her choice of clothing wasn't the best.

"Maybe this was something Dist only did to Luke, like how you had your Fonons extracted and Luke didn't..." Jade explained and Violet nodded, her cold expression weakened in the heat.

"Even so, why tell us where he is?" Guy asked, looking at Jade, he was stood to the Older Fonist's right, while Violet was stood to his left.

Luke made a noise of annoyance and turned to them with an aggravated expression. "I don't know!" He barked and Violet's eyes narrowed. "I just heard what I heard!" He tsked and looked away. "He makes me sick...Anyway, let's hurry to those Zao Ruins!" Then he turned and walked away.

Anise glared after him and spoke with a small bite. "He's starting to get on my nerves..."

"You're not the only one..." Violet growled as the group continued walking again. "Tear, can I borrow your map again?"

Tear nodded and handed Violet the map, knowing what she planned on doing.

Violet stared at the map for a while before Jade's finger touched a spot that didn't have any sort of landmarks on it. "The Zao Ruins are in this area..." He said, tapping that spot.

The young woman glared at him and he removed his hand with a chuckled, placing both hands behind his back and lifting his head with a smirk.

Violet hummed and calculated the distance. "Ohhhh..." She groaned and the others looked back at her, all but Luke, who couldn't care less. "It's going to take us two days to get there!"

"What?!" Anise whined, stopping and turning to them. "But the nights here are just as cold as the days are hot!"

Violet sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't think I've brought enough water for us either, we're going to have to shorten the amount we drink!"

"Then why didn't you bring more?!" Luke barked, turning and glaring at her as the others stopped too. "I thought you were a survivalist!"

"I am!" Violet snarled, glaring at the young noble with angry, cold eyes. "I collected supplies before we all met up in front of the castle! I didn't know we'd be crossing a desert on foot, did I?"

"Whatever...You should have restocked then!" Luke retaliated and Violet stepped forward, only to have an arm outstretched in front of her again.

"Would you quit doing that?!" Violet barked, pushing Jade's arm down and glaring at his amused expression. "You're really pissing me off, Necromancer!"

"Oh dear..." Jade sighed with mock concern as Natalia drank a little water and handed it to Tear. "It looks like the heat is getting to poor Violet..."

"I won't hesitate in kicking your ass! Freak!"

"Now, now, there's no need for such foul insults..." Jade scolded with a teasing tone, he was purposely winding her up and everyone knew it.

Violet's lips curled back into a snarl and she glared up at the taller Fonist. "If you weren't my custody officer, I would kill you right now!"

"Won't that just make your sentence worse?"

"Would you just shut up?!"

Guy sighed and looked at them with an awkward smile, this was a daily thing for them, it seemed everyone was slowly getting back to normal. He hummed and noticed that Natalia was the most quiet out of all of them.

"What's wrong, Natalia?" Guy asked, walking in step with the young princess.

"That Asch the Bloody..." Natalia said, her tone serious as she looked down at the sand beneath her. "He really looks like Luke, does he not?"

Violet looked down, her expression hardening into an emotionless one. She hadn't stopped thinking about that face since she had seen it. She had seen Asch's face before yes, but when he looked at her, his expression seemed so familiar, like he had looked at her like that before.

How? How can she feel that she had seen that face before when they had only met once prior that day?

"Yeah..." Guy said, breaking Violet from her thoughts as she ran her fingers through her sweaty fringe. "He might be his long lost brother..."

"I doubt that, even I know that Luke is the only son of Duke Fabre..." Violet said, looking up and squinting at the sheer heat that burned her eyes.

"There's no point worrying about something we can't understand..." Jade interrupted, outstretching his arms with a small shrug as he spoke. "We should focus on rescuing Fon Master Ion for now..."

Natalia looked down at the ground and her expression softened with agreement. "I suppose so..." She said and both Guy and Violet agreed.

If they continued to dwell on it, it would eat them from the inside out. For now, they would follow Jade's words and focus on the Fon Master.

Violet looked up at the sky with her hand hovering against her forehead, shielding her eyes from the blearing sun. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, as to be expected.

"Feeling the heat?"

Violet hummed and looked to her left to see Jade giving her a curious look, obviously the one who asked. "No..." She said, her voice cold as she looked away from them. "I'm just inspecting my surroundings..."

"Oh?"

"I've never been to the desert before..."

"Ah!" Jade exclaimed with a smile, he thought as much. "You've been to Engeve, St. Binah, Kaitzur and Baticul have you not?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Beyond those cities, the world is new to you..." Jade said and Violet's features softened, listening intently at his words. "If the mission is a success and I relieve you of yours crimes, you will be able to explore these places again with more freedom..."

Violet chuckled and looked away, an unnoticed smile on her lips. "Yeah, that would be rather strange, wouldn't it?"

Jade chuckled too, pushing his glasses up his nose, the sunlight bouncing off them and making it impossible to look him in the eye without going blind. "Yes, I believe it would be...However you would be more comfortable..."

"Huh? How so?"

"From the five weeks of travelling I have come to the conclusion that you refuse to trust others, being forced to travel in a group would make you uncomfortable..."

Violet's eyes sharpened.

"I also believe your distrust for me especially is related to the reason you murdered those three soldiers, but after you refused to enlighten this, time and time again, I have decided to allow you to tell me in your own time..."

Violet huffed and looked away again, her voice holding more bite than a moment ago. "Don't hold your breath, Necromancer, I won't be sharing anything anytime soon!"

"Violet..."

Violet hummed and looked up to see Tear looking back at her with a curious expression. "I have a question, if you don't mind me asking..."

"I hold the right to refuse answering depending on the question..." Violet said, her voice closing off, as if preparing herself.

"This has been bothering me since Cheagle Woods, however with all that has happened, I never found time to ask..."

"I'm listening..."

"You said that you couldn't use Mystic Artes without there being a high chance of death...I have to ask, why did you use that arte back in Tartaroo Valley? If there was a chance it could kill you, why did you do it?"

"Cosmic Wave causes meteors to crash down in the close proximity of the user, that would have scared off any more monsters that could have attacked...Although it was dangerous and I was lucky to survive, it was necessary to stop any more monsters from trying to rip us limb from limb..."

"That was foolish..." Jade said, looking down at her with serious scarlet orbs, his smile fading to match his eyes.

Violet glared at Jade and spoke with her usual bite. "Oh sorry, Master Fonist, I didn't realize I had to have your approval to do anything!"

"Cosmic Wave is a powerful and equally dangerous arte, if not perfected correctly, the chances of the meteors hitting the user would be at it's highest, you were lucky you didn't end up like the monsters you used it on..."

"I don't care what you think, Colonel!" Violet seethed as everyone stopped for a moment, their legs heavy, even Luke had to take a break. "I used that arte of my own accord and will use it again if I feel the need!"

Jade stared down at her with his serious expression and Violet felt discomfort, like she was being scolded without words. "Refrain from using it unless absolutely necessary..." He said, his smirk slipping back into place. "Otherwise your death with shatter my reputation in the military..."

"Oh, go jump off a bridge!"

"Apologies, I'm afraid I cannot do that without there being serious repercussions..."

"Yeah, like my drinking my weight in alcohol out of sheer celebration..."

"Now that's not nice..."

"Oh just shut up!"

"My apologies..."

"I swear to God, I will kill you!"

The others looked at the two as they bickered, awkward smiles filling the group, aside from Luke who just scowled at them, annoyed by their banter.

"I'm hungry..." Mieu whined and Violet stopped, looking at the small Cheagle, who was having trouble staying in the air. The poor thing must have been exhausted.

"I believe a break is in order..." Jade said, folding both arms behind his back with his ever present smile. "Violet, would you perhaps set up the area for a picnic?"

Violet nodded, not complaining about this, she herself was starting to feel peckish too. Luke's complaints filled the group, but none of them paid attention as she pulled her rucksack off her back and opened it.

"Alright, I brought fruit, vegetables, water, and some juice to flavor the water, does anyone have any preferences?"

Violet listened to each preference as she pulled out a compact blanket. "Guy, would you grab the other end and help me?"

Guy nodded and took the other end, both of them cracking it like a whip and placing it down to it was flat. Violet nodded as she checked to see if it would fold over, satisfied it wouldn't and sat down on one corner.

Everyone but Luke and Jade followed, Luke still complaining, however his whining fell on deaf ears as Violet took out the half empty bottle of water and placed it on the blanket, taking out the food and placing it down as well.

"I said we're not stopping, Master is waiting and this isn't important!" Luke argued, his complaints finally heard and Violet growled softly.

"Luke!" Violet barked and Luke stopped, even after two weeks, the sound of his former teacher scolding him would make him stop. "If we are to travel this desert without dying, we have to take frequent breaks and drink plenty of water and eat plenty of food! Do you want to die out here?"

"N-no but-"

"Then shut up and eat! I am getting sick and tired of your whining!"

Luke huffed and glared at her before sitting down, snatching the water and taking long gulps, annoying the others as he was just shortening the amount they needed. "What?" He snapped when he pulled the empty bottle from his lips. "I'm the goodwill ambassador, I can drink as much as I want!"

Violet muttered some insults under her breath and picked up an apple, handing it to Mieu, who made a noise of happiness and ate it with fevor.

Jade was the only one who caught the small nostalgic smile on her lips. She was rather fond of the Cheagles wasn't she? "It seems you get along with the Cheagles well..." He said, pulling Violet from her thoughts and causing her to look at him. "After all, Mieu the only one you have shown and inkling of kindness towards..."

Violet gave Jade a sharp glare, but looked away as she picked up a carrot and bit down on it, not bothering to respond. She was sick of his constant curiosity and analyzing stares.

Jade chuckled and picked up an apple, biting down into the blush red flesh as he thought of her response. He had hit the mark is seemed, she usually responded with bite and this time she had just ignored him. Maybe she did have a kinder side, underneath the cold mask she must have built up since she murdered those soldiers.

"Ah, for uncooked food, this is rather delicious!" Natalia said as she bit into a soft green pear. "I'm not used to eating small snacks such as these!"

"I didn't want to cook in the middle of the desert..." Violet said, taking another bite of her carrot. "It's already hot enough without a fire..."

"Yeah, you're right there!" Guy said, laughing softly as he ate a banana. "We don't want to combust, do we?"

Violet chuckled and wiped some sweat from her forehead, catching a glimpse of Jade, who looked composed and comfortable even in the searing heat.

"How come you're so comfortable?" Violet asked, and Jade hummed, his mouth open to take another bite of his apple. He lowered the fruit and looked at her with his usual smile.

"I'm afraid I don't understand, dear Violet..."

Violet's cheeks flamed and she just managed to force down the blush. "D-don't call me that!" She seethed, then continued with her question. "We're all sat here, sweltering in the heat and you're just stood there like it's just another sunny day!"

Jade chuckled, but didn't supply them with an answer as he took another bite of his apple, causing Violet to scoff and roll her eyes, taking another bite of her carrot.

One day she would figure out just what was going through that head of his. She swore by it.

The rest of the break passed by without any problems, aside from Luke's constant whining, other than that, they all packed up and continued on their way, satisfied with their food and water intake.

Hopefully they would continue to have this amount of food and water until they could reach Chesedonia.

~TotA~

_She ran, she ran as fast as she could. This wasn't what was supposed to happen, she was supposed to help, not make things worse!_

_"M-Marko..." She whimpered as she tripped and landed face first on the floor, sobbing into the ground she lay upon. "I-I'm s-sorry..."_

_She reared back and cried out, her voice travelling in the air, filled with her hatred, her care and her grief. "MARKO!"_

Violet screamed and sat up, tears welling in her eyes as she felt all those emotions in that moment. She took a deep shakey breath and ran her fingers through her fringe, pulling herself from the nightmare.

"That was a much more violent scream than usual..."

Violet gasped and turned her head quickly, spotting Jade stood up a few feet away, his arms behind his back and his face serious.

"Don't you think it's about time you tell me what's causing these nightmares?" Jade asked, his face not shifting from that serious expression, lacking his usual smile but showing no effort in comforting her.

Violet's eyes hardened and she glared at him with her usual cold and bitter expression. "Don't you ever sleep?" She asked, deflecting his question.

Jade chuckled, pushing his glasses up his nose, his smile returning. "Apologies, but a petty question like that will not shift my attention..."

"It's none of your business!" Violet seethed, anger now filling her eyes instead of those tears that had dried up the moment he spoke.

Violet didn't even wait for a reply this time, she felt vulnerable having been caught screaming, so she just rested her head on the ground and turned away from him, hoping that he got the message.

"They will not simply vanish, Violet..." Jade informed her, turning and looking at her over his shoulder. "No matter how much you deny them..." Then he walked away from the group.

Violet scoffed and closed her eyes, his words lingering in her head.

~TotA~

The next morning was a windy one as Violet and the others forced their way through the strong gusts that challeneged them, trying to force them back. They all had their mouths covered to stop sand flying into them, their eyes however, stung with the small grains bombarding them.

Violet hated her dream of travelling right now, more than she had ever hated anything in her life, travelling meant putting up with this crap again when she returned alone.

Jade, who had his bicep against his mouth, managed to open one eye and gasped when he spotted a large cloud of sand coming towards them at a dangerously fast speed. "Everyone, get down!"

Violet and the others looked at Jade, who looked too serious to be ignored. "There's no time to explain, get down and cover your mouth!"

Luke huffed and went to argue, but Tear dove at him, knocking him to the ground before snatching Mieu, hiding him between the two of them. She covered her mouth, her eyes squeezed shut as Luke's face was buried into the sand, protecting him.

Guy gasped and dropped onto his stomach, squeezing his eyes shut and covering his mouth as Natalia took hold of Anise and dropped down too, both of them doing the same.

Violet cursed and dropped to her stomach too, Jade following behind as the two of them squeezed their eyes shut and covered their mouths, preparing for what was to come.

They all let out a noise of pain, aside from Jade, as a strong gust of wind hit them like they had ran into a wall, strengthening until a full blown sandstorm was passing over them.

They had to keep their heads down and bodies on the ground, otherwise they would be swept away in the strong winds.

Violet had never been in a sandstorm before, her heart was pounding and the fear of being swept away was the only thing keeping her pinned down, she dare not even open her eyes in case the sand blinded her.

The only noises heard from the group were the small grunts of pain when the winds got too fierce and the sound of the strong sandstorm passing by.

Dammit how she hated the desert!

~TotA~

It was twenty minutes later before the sandstorm finally died down and where everyone had once been, now stood a larger hill of sand, had the winds taken them, or had they been buried?

Suddenly some of the sand shifted and Jade pushed up onto his hands and knees, inhaling some much needed air, he was covered head to toe in sand and had been buried under there for perhaps a minute or two.

Jade pulled off his glasses and ran his hand down his face, removing the sand from his features, listening as he heard someone else get up from the sand.

"Oh it's not fair!" Anise whined as she and Natalia sat up in the sand, both of them covered in the small grains, much like Jade had been. "Why can't we ever go somewhere with decent weather?"

Guy sat up next, spitting out some sand. "Ugh, at least you two didn't end up eating some of it..." He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Is everyone alright?"

"There are four not accounted for..." Jade said, standing up and dusting off his uniform. "Violet, Luke, Tear and Mieu..."

There was movement in the sand in front of them before Tear sat up, Luke and Mieu following being. "Mieuuuuuu..." Mieu whined, looking rather shaken. "That was scary..."

"Are you alright?" Tear asked and Luke huffed, standing up and roughing up his hair causing sand to fall from his scalp.

"What the hell was that about?" Luke asked as Violet finally emerged, spitting out sand and rubbing her eyes with several curses.

"It's called a sandstorm, Luke..." Violet said, standing up and running her fingers through her fringe, grimacing as sand fell into her palm. "I am going to need a serious bath once we get to Chesedonia..."

"We're all in the need of a bath, I believe..." Jade said, stuffing his hands into his pockets, only to chuckle and pull one hand out, letting the sand he had collected in said pockets to fall from his palm. "And our clothes will need cleaning as well..."

"This will not do..." Natalia mumbled, grimacing at the state of her clothes. "It is not right for a princess to be in this state..."

"Then go home..." Luke muttered, getting a sharp look from Natalia.

"Don't be an idiot!" Violet told the young noble, placing one hand on her hip and the other on the helm of her sword. "We've come too far now, none of us can turn back!"

"I agree with Violet..." Guy said, smiling at Natalia before giving Luke a serious look. "If we were to turn back, that would just take longer...Think about the people in Akzeriuth, they won't stop suffering just so we can take Natalia home..."

"Thank you, Violet, Guy..." Natalia said, smiling kindly at them, glad they were allowing her to stay with them through this mission.

Violet crossed her arms and continued walking. "Whatever..." She said with that cold edge as Luke ran up ahead of her, muttering about being in charge and the others followed behind.

They were all getting seriously irritated by Luke's arrogance.

~TotA~

The night passed by rather quickly and when the morning came, they finally reached the Zao Ruins, a large building that looked like it had stood on this land for many years.

"So these are the Zao Ruins?" Luke asked as the entire group looked at the fragmented building, the pillars crumbling and the brickwork old and damaged.

"Yes..." Jade said, his arms behind his back as he took a quick look around, surveying the area for any signs of a trap.

"Alright, let's go!" Anise said with her usual child-like energy. She wanted to rescue Ion as soon as she possibly could.

"We'd better be careful though..." Violet muttered as she and the others followed the young teen. "There's no telling what kind of monsters live down there..."

They all entered the ruins and instantly Violet shuddered with discomfort. There was plenty of room, but it was rather dim, the only light coming from the fonstones on the far walls and the entrance behind them.

'Why do we always have to go somewhere dark?' Violet asked herself as the group walked down the long staircase, Luke taking the front again with his usual complaints while Anise stood at the back, the heat affecting her movements.

"Even inside, it's not exactly cool..." Guy pointed out as Violet wiped her forehead with a sigh, she needed some water, but they only had a small amount left.

"Yeah..." Luke agreed, feeling the same thirst as Violet, but even with his whining she refused to hand over any more until the others were thirsty as well.

"It's so hot..." Anise groaned as she slowed down ever further, feeling a burning sensation from behind. "Especially my back-"

"Fire!" Mieu cried, breathing fire behind Anise, explaining the burning sensation she felt. She avoided each breath of fire he exhaled as he passed her.

"Hey- Mieu!" Anise gasped as Mieu flew over to the others, who parted rather hastily to avoid the young Cheagles strong flames. The entire group having stopped as to steer clear of being burned alive.

However this didn't last long as Luke grabbed Mieu's head and pulled him back, glaring at him like he had wronged. "It's _hot_, dammit!"

"Mieuuu..." Mieu whimpered, regretting his decision and explaining his actions. "I wanted to help everyone by lighting the place..."

"We can see just fine without your fire!"

Violet scoffed and Jade glanced at her over his shoulder, causing her to blush and look away. "Now, now, Violet..." Jade said with his cheerful tone. "If you act that way, people will think you're afraid!"

Violet's cheeked burned brightly and she forced down the blush just as soon as it spread across her cheeks. "Shut it, Necromancer!" She seethed. "I'm as scared of this place as you are kind!"

"Oh those words wound me deeply..."

"I'll wound you deeply in a minute!"

"Getting back to the topic at hand..." Natalia interrupted, knowing now, thanks to observation, that if they didn't stop bickering, someone should intervene. "What could they be planning, dragging Fon Master Ion to such a place?"

"We won't know that until we find them and question them..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose as the entire group began to move again, walking down the stairs cautiously, in case a trap awaited them.

Violet shuddered as they got to the bottom of the stairs and she saw a spider, hoping to dear God none of those nasty, giant, eight legged bastards nested here too.

"There's no need to feel nervous, dear Violet..." Jade said with his usual teasing as she glared at him. "After all, the spiders in the desert are nothing compared to the insects nesting in the factory!"

"Wh-who asked you for your opinion?!"

"No one, I merely express it on my own!"

"I noticed..." Violet mumbled, looking away as she crossed her arms, glaring ahead as to avoid seeing any more insects. Oh she hated this place, she hated it almost as much as the factory.

"Come now, is there a need for such hurtful words?"

"Oh, come on! Nothing I say will even so much as scratch the surface of your sarcastic ass!"

Jade chuckled and they continued on, the others laughing nervously at their banter. Were they ever going to get along?

~TotA~

Ion and Asch stood before a large multi-colored wall, covered with some sort of symbol, it was large, like a doorway, however there was no signs of there being an entrance.

"Now, release the seal..." Asch told the young Fon Master, his voice cold, and his features serious.

"What are you planning to do?" Ion asked, looking in Asch's direction from the corner of his eye, before turning his head to meeting the young God-General's eye. "Even if I open it, nothing will happen..."

Then Ion had a sword hovering by his chin, Asch glaring at the Fon Master with a sharper expression, proving just how serious he was. "Do it..." He said with a cold tone.

Asch lowered his weapon and Ion stepped forward, putting down his scepter before he continued and stopped in front of the seal. He lifted his hands to the pattern and channeled his powers into the seal itself, causing a series of Fonic Rings to appear and unlock one by wall the seal was embedded faded away into nothing and reveal a dark corridor.

"Good..." Asch breathed, seeing that the seal had in fact been removed and nothing remained but that entrance.

"Master Ion!"

Asch hummed and turned quickly to see the group stood at the bottom of the steps, ready for a fight if it would come to that, Violet holding her sword with both hands, the blade glowing blue with her Fonons.

"Asch!" Luke barked, glaring up at his doppelganger as Violet eyed him carefully, in case he made any sudden movements. "Who the hell are you?! What are you trying to do?!"

"That dreck..." Asch grumbled, glaring at Luke with disgust, like his presence alone sickened him.

"Asch! Give Master Ion back to us!" Anise shouted, sprinting forward to save Ion when suddenly a figure appeared on the stairs, the boy with green hair and the strange mask.

"Hold it..." The boy said, his lips curved into a smirk.

"Sync!"

"So that's Sync..." Violet muttered to herself, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the young teen. However she gasped and her eyes widened when a familiar man walked into her line of vision.

"Well, well, Largo the Black Lion..." Jade said, his smirk still standing, but his eyes serious. "So you're still alive?"

"As if I could've been killed by a wound like that, Jade the Necromancer..." Largo said, lifting his chin and looking down at the Colonel with a glare.

"Oh couldn't you have just died like a normal person?" Violet snarled, glaring at the God-General. She was getting sick of these people always interfering.

Luke made a noise of annoyance and pulled out his sword. "Out of the way, you bastards!" He roared, glaring at them. "I don't have time to waste on you here!"

"This should be amusing..." Largo said, looking from Jade to the young noble before him. "Show me how you've grown since I last saw you cowering on the Tartarus..."

"Shut up!" Luke barked, before he and Guy kicked off into a run, going to strike both God-Generals at the same time. Luke let out an almighty battle cry and lifted his sword, going to slash down, only for it to be blocked by Largo.

"So you can actually attack now, huh?" Largo asked, the two of them pushing against one another's weapons, which trembled with the force.

"Don't make fun of me!" Luke snarled as Guy gasped and blocked a kick from Sync, who was pulling Fonons into the limbs he attacked with, making it impossible for them to be injured by attacks or be injured when attacking.

Guy swiped at Sync, but he jumped into the air and when the swordsman attacked again, his lifted his arm and blocked it, Fonons sparking in all directions from the contact.

Sync attacked again and Guy staggered back, pointing his sword at Sync once he regained his balance and going to kill the God-General again, however Sync just jumped over the young servant, doing so again when he went to attack Sync from behind.

Guy's face stayed stoic and serious as he turned to Sync and pointed his sword at the young tempest once more, Sync getting into a fighting stance as he chuckled, a smirk on his lips.

Luke roared as he slammed his sword into Largo's scythe once more, the God-General smirking as they both pushed against one another's weapons, keeping the balance.

"I see you've grown a little, brat..." Largo said, before pushing Luke back and going to swing his scythe. "But you still have a long way to go!"

Luke avoided two of the slashes, but gasped and raised his sword just in time to block the other. However Largo was stronger than the young boy and it was getting considerably harder to keep that scythe from harming him.

"Luke, out of the way!" Jade shouted as Violet stood there and looked for any sort of opening, Guy seemed to have Sync covered, however Luke would need help.

Luke glanced back as Jade made his spear appear and reared back. "Shunjinsou!" He shouted, tossing it like a javelin as the blade glowed green with Fonons.

Luke pulled back just as Largo moved slightly, avoiding the spear that embedded into the ground just a few centimeters from his foot, exploding on contact.

Largo huffed and looked at the spear as Violet smirked, kicking off into a run as Largo turned back with a smirk. "Is that all you've got? I see you still haven't managed to get rid of that Fon Slot Seal-"

He gasped and angled back just in time to avoid Violet's blade cutting his throat wide open, she growled and continued her assault, slashing and swiping at the older man, only for him to avoid them and finally block her attacks with his scythe.

"Heh, you're faster than before..." Largo commented as Violet jumped back, her sword pointing at the God-General and glowing with the power of her Fonons. "However it's still not enough!"

Largo ran at Violet with all the speed he could muster and swung his scythe, causing the woman to cry out as it slammed into her and she was sent barrelling into the wall, blood spraying from her lips from the collision.

"D-dammit!" She hissed, wiping her mouth with her arm as she got to her feet, one arm draped over her stomach, where she could feel bruising, the other hand holding her sword.

"Not so quick now, are you?" Largo asked with a chuckle.

"Largo, you jerk!" Anise called out, shocking the large God-General as Tokunaga slammed it's large paw into his form. Largo skidded to a halt a few feet away and anger was evident in his eyes as he swung his scythe round, flames errupting from it's tip and knocking Anise from the doll she used for combat.

"Ouch!" Anise cried as she landed on her backside a few feet from Tokunaga.

While the fighting went on, Asch and Ion watched, not getting involved themselves. "Asch, just what are you planning to do?" Ion asked, worrying for his friends, and Violet.

"I'm going to give you back to them..." Asch said, looking back at Ion as the young Fon Master's face warped into shock.

"Nocturnal Light!" Tear shouted, tossing all of her knives at Sync, who avoided them with ease. Natalia pulled an arrow back in her bow and shot it at the young tempest, who avoided that with as much ease as the knives.

"So fast...!" Natalia breathed, letting out a noise of shock as Sync landed in front of her, looking at her with a dangerous smile.

"Were you aiming at me?" Sync asked, then pulled his fist back for a punch, Natalia letting out a noise of fear and bracing herself for the blow.

However it never struck as Sync jumped into the air to avoid Guy's sword. The young tempest landed behind Guy and snarled at him with a tsk. "You running around is an eyesore!" He barked, running towards the swordsman and hitting him with everything he had.

Guy only just managed to block his attacks and when Sync jumped away, he ran towards him to strike. However Sync shot a purple slash of Fonons at the young swordsman and he only just managed to avoid them, unaware of the mark that appeared on his arm before fading away.

Guy tsked and looked down at the scratch on his arm. "That was close..." He hissed out, feeling some pain from the small injury.

He turned to Sync, who was so busy laughing he didn't see Luke running towards him until he heard a roar and looked up just in time for Luke to slash his sword down, hitting both the tempest's arms and knocking him to the ground.

Luke laughed and spoke with arrogance, his smirk lighting up his eyes and showing his arrogance in them as well. "Don't take your eyes of the enemy!"

This made Asch snap as he walked down the steps, pulling his sword out at the bottom and running towards the young noble. "Don't get too cocky!" He roared as he and Luke crossed blades, both of them using the same moves at the same time.

Suddenly a slash of blue Fonons interrupted them and Luke stepped back with shock. "That..." He breathed as Violet's eyes widened, staring at Asch with shock in her eyes. She knew that move. "That was one of Master Van's moves..."

Asch didn't give Luke a chance to figure anything out as he roared and slammed his sword against his doppelganger's, a shot of purple Fonons errupting from the blades and hitting the ceiling above, causing debris to fall.

Tear, Largo and Jade all scattered into different directions to avoid behind hit. "Hey, hey, this isn't good!" Guy said to the others as he just avoided his foot being crushed by the falling debris.

"Why can you use Master Van's moves?" Luke asked, glaring at Asch with his sword pointing at the young God-General.

"It should be obvious!" Asch said, his face showing his anger and annoyance. "It's because we fight in the same style, you cretin! I-"

"Stop it, Asch!"

Asch looked to his left and saw that it was Sync who called him, seriousness dripping from the powerful tempest's voice. "You always get carried away...Let's retreat for now..." Sync told the teen, pointing at him with an air of authority in his voice when Asch failed to comply. "Sheathe your sword...Now!"

"Wh-what are you talking about, Asch?" Luke asked as Asch finally did as he was told and slipped his sword back into his sheathe.

"You don't know how fortunate you are..." Asch said, before he and Sync took off in a sprint.

"Wait!" Luke called, going to run after them, however he was forced to stop when a large boulder crashed down in front of him. If he had taken another step, it would have killed him.

However the sudden force of that boulder sent vibrations to go through the ground, causing one of the pillars by Natalia to crumble and collapse.

"Watch out!" Tear called, tackling Natalia and pulling them both out of the way of the falling debris, which landed and cracked where Natalia had once been stood.

Both of them sat up and looked at the rubble as it settled. "Are you alright, Natalia?" Tear asked, looking down at the woman she had just saved.

"Yes, thank you very much!" Natalia said, gratitude evident in her eyes, Tear had just saved her life, after all. None of them were aware that Largo faltered for a moment before continuing his escape.

"Violet, are you alright?" Jade asked, noticing that Violet hadn't moved from the wall since being hit by Largo's scythe.

"I'm fine..." She said with her cold tone returning, pushing off from the wall and clutching her stomach. "It's just a bruise, focus on the Fon Master!"

Jade nodded and ran over to the stairs, where Anise was checking Ion over for injury. "Let's get out of here..." He said, and the two teen agreed, running down the stairs and joining with the others.

They sprinted through the ruins, the cave shaking as it threatened to collapse, Violet was lagging behind everyone else due to her injury, but since it wasn't dangerous to her health, she managed to keep up with them.

~TotA~

They all managed to make it outside rather quickly and Violet was sat on a broken pillar, her hand hovering over her stomach, a small Fonic Circle between her palm and her injury as she healed herself.

"Are you alright, Violet?" Guy asked, looking back at his friend as she smirked, patting her stomach once the Fonic Circle had faded, checking for any pain or reminents of injury.

"I'm fine, Guy..." Violet said, her voice still containing that cold tone she had when Jade asked. Guy let out a small sigh of relief as Violet hopped off the pillar and walked over to the group.

"Everyone..." Ion said, getting the entire group to look in his direction as he spoke. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble..."

"You should be!" Luke said, looking at Ion over his shoulder as Violet's eyes narrowed, she was sick of his attitude problem and it was only two weeks into their mission. "We're keeping Master Van waiting!"

"Wait a-" Anise started, but Ion cut her off with another apology.

"I'm sorry..." Ion repeated, his head bowed for a moment before he looked back up at the young noble before him. "I was careless..."

"Please don't!" Tear said, stepping forward as she tried to get the Fon Master to reconsider his words, he had no reason to apologize, he had done nothing wrong. "There's no need for you to apologize, Fon Master Ion!"

"It's fine, Tear!" Ion said, then turned to the young Fon Master Guardian. "Anise, thank you!"

Anise however wasn't listening as she made a noise of anger, glaring at Luke with something she liked to think was threatening, but Violet just found to be a waste of time.

"Hey, don't get so worked up!" Guy said, laughing awkwardly as Violet rolled her eyes, placing her hand above her eyes, shielding them from the sun as she looked up at the sky, it would be getting dark soon.

"By the way, Ion..." Jade said, looking at the young Fon Master. "What did they make you do?" Jade glanced at the ruins over his shoulder, which showed no external damage from the cave's collapse. "This place is a Sephiroth, isn't it?"

"Those are the most powerful Fon Slots in the land, are they not?" Natalia asked as Violet looked at the ruins with curiosity, she had heard of Sephiroths, but had never actually seen one before.

What, the most powerful Fon Slots in the world were disguised as buildings? Why did that sound as likely as Luke being a nice kid for once?

"Yes..." Ion said, looking back at the group with a serious expression as he explained his reasons for being taken here. "The Order of Lorelei has placed seals with Daathic Fonic Artes to protect the Sephiroth...Only a Fon Master can remove one of those seals, and they asked me to do so here...Removing the seal has no effect however..."

"If that's so, why does the Order protect them?" Guy asked and Violet nodded, rather curious now, she agreed with Guy, if the Sephiroths were so important, yet did nothing when the seal was removed, how come they needed such protection?

"That's..." Ion mulled over his words and looked at Guy with seriousness. "Confidential..."

Luke huffed and looked ahead at the desert with both hands on his hips, a scowl on his lips and annoyance in his eyes. "I don't care about that..." He said, his tone bored as he walked away. "Let's just go already..."

"I don't know what's up with him, but it's pissing me off..." Violet said, her eyes narrowing as Anise nodded, agreeing with Violet there as they both glared at the young noble.

When did he become so arrogant?

~TotA~

Four days passed since then and everyone stood by a campfire in the middle of the night, warming themselves up as the temperature dropped below freezing.

"It's amazing to think that a desert would be so cold at night..." Guy said as he let his hands hover by the fire, warming them, his gloves on his lap.

"You'd think we'd be used to the cold by now..." Violet said, letting out a huff of laughter as she checked their supplies, they were running rather low one water.

"I hate the desert..." Luke complained, glaring at the fire as he sat on his bed, sharpening his sword with the sharpening stone he borrowed from Violet. "Why can't we just get out of here already?"

"The monsters are much more fierce during the night..." Jade informed the young noble as he stood a small distance from the fire, his arms crossed and his usual smile lighting his features. "After all, most of them shield themselves from the sun, they usually come out around now to hunt...Do you want to continue in the knowledge that we could be attacked and devoured?"

Luke grimaced at the image that sentence brought into his head. "Yeah, yeah, whatever..." He grumbled, continuing his sharpening.

"Master Ion, shouldn't you go to sleep?" Anise asked as Ion sat on his bed, happy to be with the group once more. "It's getting really late, you must be tired..."

"I'm fine Anise, thank you..." Ion said, smiling at his Fon Master Guardian, who was sat on her bed too, talking to him. "I'd like to stay up and catch up on what I've missed!"

"Fon Master, you shouldn't push yourself..." Violet said, looking at Ion as she closed her bag, stood up and placed her hand on her hip. "You're not strong enough to cause your body unnecessary stress..."

"Well, well..." Jade said, his voice holding mock shock as he took in the kind words Violet had just uttered. "It seems someone is opening up a little more!"

Violet's eyes turned cold once more and she glared at Jade, angered by his words. "I'm not opening up to anyone..." She hissed, turning and walking away from the group. "Keep your comments to yourself!"

"You just have to piss her off, don't you?" Guy asked, and Jade chuckled, pushing his glasses up his nose, as if her reaction had amused him. "I swear you're not human..."

"Oh come now Guy, those words are rather hurtful..."

"Uh-huh, sure they are..."

~TotA~

It was too hot. None of the group, except for Jade, had any energy to move as they trudged through the desert. A week had passed since they saved Ion and they knew it was another week before they would reach Chesedonia.

Worst part about that was, they had ran out of water the night before, so they were all parched. "We need to find water soon..." Violet said with exhaustion in her tone, wiping her forehead free of the sweat drenching it. "We can't survive another week in this heat without it..."

"Where are we going to find water?" Natalia asked, looking at Violet who gave a look to Tear, who nodded and handed her the map she kept.

Violet unfolded the map and looked it over, groaning when she saw no indications of a water source. "I don't get it, I heard a rumor that there was water somewhere in the middle of this desert, where is it?"

"I believe I have your answer, Violet..." Jade said and Violet hummed, looking up at Jade who chuckled and kept his eyes trained ahead.

Violet turned her head and her eyes widened as they spotted a cluster of buildings, all built beside a large water source. "Finally!" Luke called as they all picked up the pace, wanting to get to the water before they died from dehydration.

Violet had never felt so relieved, for a while, she thought they would have to go the whole week without water, however the rumor she had heard turned out to be true, what great luck!

They arrived after ten minutes of walking and a Scorer by the well welcomed them. "Hello, would you like some water? It's blessed by Lorelei!"

"Water that's blessed by Lorelei?" Violet repeated, arching a brow as she placed her hand on her hip. "I thought Lorelei's existence hadn't been verified..."

"That doesn't mean it cannot be blessed..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose with a chuckle. "The Order of Lorelei bless the water to give the drinker unimaginable luck...Or so they say, I myself have never tried blessed water, so I am not someone you should ask..."

Violet actually felt her curiosity peaking, all of them were thirsty and there was a well right beside them. "Alright, let's get a drink then, after all, we'll need all the 'luck' we can get to get out of this desert..."

"A wise choice, Miss!" The Scorer said with a smile, holding out his hand. "However I must ask, it is tradition that you donate one hundred Gald for a drink..."

"I guess we can do that..." Anise said and Violet rummaged through her Gald Sack, she had picked up some Gald from monsters they had killed in the desert, not a lot, maybe a couple of coins, but she should just about have enough.

She heard someone drop money in the Scorer's hand and looked up to see Jade placing his Gald sack back in his pocket. "Hey! I was going to pay for it!" She said, glaring at Jade.

"By the time you scraped your Gald together, we would have died from sheer thirst..." Jade said, looking back at her with a smirk. "Now that wouldn't be fair, would it?"

"You son of a-"

"Be careful, Violet..." Jade warned, looking back at the Scorer. "The people here are strong followers of Yulia, if you swear, you might insult them..."

Violet's face began to turn an unhealthy shade of purple and Jade chuckled, he knew just how to get on her nerves, and the worst part was, he enjoyed doing it.

"Would you two stop arguing?" Luke asked, huffing and crossing his arms with his usual arrogance. "We need a drink and you're in the way!"

Violet spun to yell bloody murder at Luke, but Jade interrupted her, once again getting on her nerves. "My apologies, Master Luke...We shall get out of your way..." He said, with a mock bow, stepping out of the way as Violet followed, cursing so softly, only Jade heard it.

"Shut up, old man!" Luke snarled, walking over and snatching the cup from the Scorer's hand, taking a large drink with a sigh, holding the cup out to the Scorer again. "Give me some more!"

"Luke!" Tear scolded, glaring at the young aristocrat as he huffed. "The water in the well is limited, you can't just drink as much as you like!"

"Whatever! I'm the Goodwill Ambassador, I say when I finish drinking!" Luke said and Violet glared at the young noble.

"It's hard to believe this is the same boy I trained for two years..." Violet said to herself, but Jade heard and decided to inquire further.

Great.

"He wasn't always like this?" Jade asked, and Violet hummed, looking up at the taller Colonel, having not paid attention to him when in her musings.

Violet decided that this wasn't something she needed to keep her herself and crossed her arms, looking at the others as they each took turns drinking the water. Ion getting a little more than the others due to his weaker body.

"No, he respected me then..." She said, a bite in her tone as her eyes narrowed. "He was polite, well-mannered and didn't have the arrogance he has now..."

_"Right, today we're going to work on your attacks..." Brave said, stood at one end of the courtyard as Luke stood at the other, looking at her with the same seriousness she had._

_"Yes, Master Brave!"_

_"Good, now attack me, I want to hear our sticks clash!"_

_"Right!" Luke roared and ran at her, both their training sticks slamming off one another as Luke continued to learn new ways of attacking and how to apply them effectively._

_Brave stood there, not moving as she blocked attack after attack, the ten year old before her trying his hardest to match and hopefully knock the stick from her hand._

_However with one swipe, Brave had won, Luke's stick clattering against the ground a couple of feet behind him. "Well done..." She said, placing the stick on her shoulder as she gave Luke a small smile. "I didn't expect you to last that long at your age..."_

_Luke's smirk turned into a smile and his eyes lit up with determination. "Thank you, Master Brave!"_

Violet sighed and ran her fingers through her fringe. "After he was kidnapped he cared more about Commandant Van than anyone else..."

"Now I understand why you give Luke such a cold look when he speaks to Van so kindly..." Jade said, and Violet's eyes turned icy, shutting him out like she normally would.

"Keep your musings to yourself!" Violet hissed, glaring at the Colonel as she walked towards the well. "I don't care what Luke thinks of me, just as I don't care about any of you!"

Jade chuckled, pushing his glasses up his nose before he looked at Luke, suspicion in his eyes.

~TotA~

Violet sat at the edge of the large pool in the small oasis, looking up at the glittering fonstone that was trapped in the ground below the water's surface.

Everyone else was currently buying supplies, and she had decided to slip away for some time alone, mulling over Jade's words again and again.

_"Now I understand why you give Luke such a cold look when he speaks to Van so kindly..."_

She huffed and ran her fingers through her sweaty fringe. As soon as they collected their supplies, they were going to continue towards Chesedonia, there wasn't an Inn in this oasis, so they couldn't freshen up.

"Thinking to yourself, I see..."

Violet groaned and looked back to see Jade stood before her, his arms behind his back and his usual smile on his face.

"Can't you ever leave me alone?" She asked, looking back at the water as Jade walked to her side, standing next to her sitting form.

"My apologies, however I noticed you slip away and as your custody officer, I must keep tabs on you at all times..." Jade explained, smirking when she made a noise of irritation.

"Do you have to keep reminding me that I'm a wanted killer?" Violet asked, her bite much more fierce than before. "I am getting sick of hearing the words 'custody officer!'"

Jade chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose, she seemed a little on edge since they had left the Zao Ruins. Perhaps Asch's similar features were still bothering her.

However he would not ask, he had dismissed the topic of Asch's appearance long ago and he wouldn't dig it back up incase it caused problems within the group.

He had his suspicions, however he kept them to himself, he didn't want to alarm the others.

"Why did you become a soldier?"

Jade hummed and looked down, Violet still looking out at the pond as he took in her words, a smirk slipping onto his lips.

"Why? Do you plan on joining the military after you've stopped the war?" Jade asked, placing both hands behind his back as his tone turned cheerful. "I highly doubt someone with a criminal record such as your's would be welcomed in with open arms..."

"Oh can it!" Violet growled, glaring at Jade over her shoulder. "I was just curious! I can't even have one civil conversation with you, can I?"

Jade chuckled and closed his eyes, opening them once more to look down at her. "Apologies...However I cannot divulge as to why I became a soldier, that matter is top secret..."

Violet scoffed and bent her leg, resting her forearm on her knee. "Whatever..." She said, looking at the fonstone as it glittered in the sunlight.

"Is there a reason for your questions?"

Violet hesitated and then answered, something that shocked even Jade, he had expected her to brush the topic aside with another insult, something she would normally do. "I...Wanted to know what it was like to have a country resting on your shoulders..."

"Ah, I see..." Jade said, the light bouncing off his glasses, rendering his eyes unseen as his features turned stoic, taking in her words. "You're still getting used to your new title, aren't you?"

Violet's features turned cold again and she scoffed, as if realizing that she had shared too much. "Just leave me alone..." She said, not even looking back at Jade as he stood there, contemplating her strange behavior.

Was she perhaps beginning to open up? Or was it the heat affecting her more than she let on?

~TotA~

Five days passed in a heartbeat after their break in the Desert Oasis, now the fighters of the group were currently trying to survive an assault from local bandits.

Violet hissed as she jumped back from a slash from the swordsman of the group, who was laughing arrogantly. "Watch it, Girlie!" He said, slashing at her again. "It's sharp! You wouldn't want to get your hair cut, would you?"

"Asshole!" Violet seethed as Jade was locked in a forceful push with the Fonist of the group, and Guy was taking on the archer.

Jade jumped back when the Fonist broke the lock and slashed at him. "Oh mighty explosion!" He called, a Fonic Circle surrounding him. "Energy Blast!" He shot his hand into the air and the Fonist cried out in pain as a large eruption of blue Fonons fell from the sky and slammed into her, killing her instantly.

Guy jumped into the air to avoid another arrow and slashed the archer, causing him to stagger back and drop to his knees, landing hard on his front as his blood stained the sand.

"Violet, we don't have time to be stopping here!" Luke called as Violet tsked, her sword pushing against the Bandit's own blade.

"I know, Luke! Just shut up and let me-" She gasped as the bandit pushed her away and slashed at her stomach hard, causing the fabric of her battlesuit to rip beyond repair and her underclothes to split, revealing her stomach.

"Violet!" Guy shouted as Violet cursed and stabbed the bandit, who coughed blood before dropping from her sword, dead at her feet.

"Violet, are you hurt?" Natalia asked as the others ran towards her, seeing her re-sheathe her sword. "Did that sword injure you?"

"No, I'm fine..." Violet said, humming when she noticed that her scar from the stab wound on the Tartarus had become visible. She quickly covered it with her hand and turned to the others, unaware that Jade had caught this motion and was looking at her with contemplation. "Let's keep going, if I stay out here too long we'll just be adding to the casualties in Akzeriuth..."

"I agree with Violet..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose, the sunlight bouncing off the lenses. "We're already two days behind schedule, let's not delay anymore than we have to..."

"Who made you two the bosses?" Luke asked, his arrogance appearing once more, as if Violet's near injury didn't actually matter. "Come on, we're wasting time! Master Van is probably still waiting!"

Violet and the others gave Luke a glare as he stormed past them, the only one not glaring was Jade, however even he was starting to feel some irritation.

~TotA~

They finally arrived in Chesedonia, two days had passed since Violet's battle suit had been damaged and now the entire group were walking through the marketplace towards the Inn, where they would rest before they continued on their travels.

Violet hated the fact that she was currently wearing Guy's jacket, to protect her skin from the harsh sunlight, something she had been doing for the course of the two days it took to get here.

Jade looked rather amused as she stood there in Guy's jacket, her cheeks only slightly pink as she stayed silent, concentrating on keeping that blush to a minimum.

Oh Jade had teased her, he had teased her non-stop since he had forced her to wear it, not wanting her to get heat stroke as that would cause her to collapse and that wouldn't fair well for the rest of the party.

"We'll take the ferry to Kaitzur from here, right?" Tear asked as Violet looked at the many stalls, curious about the town.

After all, this was technically the first new town she had been to, she was already one step closer to achieving her dream.

"Yes..." Jade said, glancing at Tear before turning to the others. "However I believe we should all rest here for the night and continue tomorrow, it might be some time before we can restock our supplies and I believe we could all do with a bath and some sleep..."

Violet huffed out a small laugh and glanced at Jade. "Yeah, you really look tired, Jade..." She said, sarcasm dripping into her tone. "Almost on the verge of collapsing, even!"

"Ah, you noticed..." Jade said, feigning exhaustion as he pressed his fingers to his forehead. "After all, at my age, I'm prone to fainting from overexertion..."

Violet rolled her eyes. "That's a load of crap and you know it!" She said, looking up at Jade with a smirk. "You're about as likely to get exausted as Anise is likely to stop caring about money!"

"Booo!" Anise whined as everyone laughed and Violet smirked, placing one hand on her hip and the other on the helm of her sword.

Once the laughter had died down they got back to the topic at hand and Anise turned her head to look at Ion. "Master Ion, maybe you should find some place to rest a bit..." She said, clearly worried for the person she was to protect.

"Rest?!" Luke said, turning his head to glare at the others over his shoulder. "We don't have time for that!"

"Don't you ever listen?" Violet seethed, glaring at her former student with malice. "We've just discussed our plans, we're stopping here for the night and continuing tomorrow!"

"No way! We're going to keep going and that's it!"

Anise made a noise of anger and Violet's eyes sharpened, a soft growl resonating from her throat. Tear's own expression hardened and she stormed over to Luke, speaking with a harsh tone, irritated at the young noble. "What's the matter with you?!"

"What?" Luke asked, looking at her with annoyance. "I'm the goodwill ambassador! If I say we go, we go!" Luke then turned back to the road ahead and Violet's eyes narrowed further, she was getting serious pissed off by his attitude now.

"I'll be fine without a break!" Ion said, looking at Anise with kind smile.

"So what do you plan on doing now, Ion?" He asked, looking down at the young Fon Master, curious of his plans.

Ion stopped and the others halted in their movement as he turned to answer Guy. "If nobody minds, would you please take me along with you?"

"Huh?" Anise said, making a noise of confusion. "But Grand Maestro Mohs will get angry at us!"

"I was entrusted with the letter by Emperor Peony...So I would like to report to him personally regarding conditions in Akzeriuth!"

"But..." Anise looked away as she stroked her chin, contemplating his words.

"Well, why not?" Jade said, his tone cheerful as he had his hands behind his back and his eyes closed, smiling brightly. "Once the rescue operation in Akzeriuth is completed he can come with me to the capital!" He said this while raising his hand, pointing his finger to the sky as he explained the easier option.

"Thank you very much!" Ion said, looking at Jade with a smile.

"Oh dear me!" Jade said with mock shock, raising both hands like he had wronged, before looking away with that insufferable smirk on his lips, his eyes closed. "Luke is the one to decide, isn't he?"

"You..." Luke hissed, glaring at Jade.

"So, our dear goodwill ambassador, your decision?"

"Do whatever the hell you want!" Luke barked, turning and storming away from the group, muttering to himself once he was out of earshot. "Damn it, he's so obnoxious!"

"My!"

Luke hummed and stopped at the sound of a woman's voice, turning his head to see three circus performers sat at a table, drinking some tea.

"What are you doing here?" A woman with pink hair and purple eyes said, smirking with arrogance, obviously the leader of the group.

Luke made a noise of confusion and turned to the three of them, curious as to what they wanted.

"Don't you look crabby?" A man with a bushy brown beard and beady eyes said, an untrusting grin on his lips. "Well, if you have another job for us, just say the word!"

"Who are you guys?" Luke asked, walking over to the table.

"What are you talking about, Sir Asch?" A man said, he had an eye patch and a belly button that stuck out far too much to be natural.

"Did you say Asch?" Luke asked, almost freezing up at the name.

The woman hummed and stood up, walking over to Luke and looking him directly in the eye. "Could it be...You're not...Asch?"

"What?!" Both men at the table said, elongating the word with their sheer shock.

"Do you guys know Asch?" Luke asked, stepping closer as the woman stepped back, startled by the close proximity. She turned with a stoic and cold expression and walked back over to the table, tossing something on the ground and causing a thick cloud of grey smoke to shield them from view.

Luke made a startled noise and covered his face to avoid breathing it in, waiting for the cloud to dissipate. Once he was certain it had cleared, he looked up and was surprised to find that the table and chairs were empty, the circus performers gone. "Wh-what was that...?" He asked, looking around for them.

"Hey, Luke!"

Luke hummed, hearing Guy's voice and turned, the others stood just a few feet away, waiting for the young noble. "What's wrong?" The blonde servant asked.

"There were some weird guys here!" Luke said, gesturing to the table behind him, one that held nothing but cooling cups of tea.

"I don't see anyone..." Violet said, arching a brow. "Luke, all that hot air has finally gone to your head, you're hallucinating..."

Luke tsked and looked away from the group as he roughed up his hair, thinking about what those circus performers had said. "Damn it..."

"Oh dear..." Jade sighed, his voice holding mock exhaustion and that damn smile still glued to his lips. "Well, shall we get to the inn?"

"Ah, that sounds wonderful!" Natalia said, her voice dripping with her excitement as she thought of the comforts of the rooms. "We can finally bathe and clean our clothes!"

"Yeah, unlike you lot, my battle suit is skin tight..." Violet said, grimacing as she shifted slightly. "The sand really gets stuck in there and after a while, the itch becomes unbearable!"

Jade chuckled and Violet chose to ignore him, she wasn't kidding, there was sand in the damaged part of her battle suit and she just wanted to wash it all off.

They all turned and walked towards the inn, Luke no longer complaining as he continued to mull over the circus performers.

That was a first.

~TotA~

They all stood in the inn as Jade booked their rooms, he was the oldest of them after all, he knew more about this than they did.

Violet stood there with her hand on her hip, her other hand running through her sweaty fringe, grimacing at the slick feeling to the white strands.

She needed a shower, as soon as possible.

The young warrior hummed when she heard footsteps and looked up to see Jade approaching them with four room keys.

Wait, four?!

"Hold on, wait a minute..." Violet said, dreading the answer to her next question. "Why have you got four keys? There's nine of us!"

"My apologies, there are only five rooms available, the rest have been taken by other guests..." Jade said, looking from one to another. "We'll have to pair up..."

"No! No way in hell!" Violet said, denial evident in her tone, she was only happy when she got to sleep in her own room, where no one could get on her nerves, she wasn't about to change that for some room shortage.

"As I said, there is a shortage of rooms..." Jade repeated, looking at her with a smile, as if he had a tonne of things he would like to say to her about the room plan. "Unless you want to sleep in the desert and get robbed by bandits, or eaten by monsters, you'll have to make do..."

Violet's entire form shook with anger and she gripped the helm of her sword. Oh he was going to pay for this, big time.

"Right, shall we discuss our pairs?" Jade asked and the others nodded. "I believe this is obvious, however I will explain to those who refuse to acknowledge it..." He glanced at Violet. "Both Violet and I have to share one room..."

"WHAT?!"

"As your custody officer I must be near you at all times, if you are to share a room with someone, it must be me and no one else, purely for the safety of the others..." Jade pushed his glasses up his nose with a smirk.

Violet mumbled curses as her face began to turn an unhealthy shade of red, she was going to kill that man in his sleep, she was certain of it.

"Now, shall we continue?" Jade asked and the others agreed with a nervous glance at Violet, who looked ready to draw her sword at Jade right there and then. "I believe Anise and Ion must share a room, due to her status as Fon Master Guardian...Luke, Mieu and Guy must share a room and Natalia and Tear will get the last room...Is this alright?"

Everyone nodded and Violet growled and snatched her key, storming to the room and unlocking the door, not even giving Jade a chance to follow before she slammed it shut.

"You really know how to push her buttons, don't you?" Guy asked, laughing nervously as Jade chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Guy...I'm merely following the custody protocol..."

"Yeah, sure..."

Jade placed his hands behind his back and held his head high, looking at the door. "Now then, I bid you all my leave, I must make sure Violet is not escaping though the window..." He turned and walked towards the room, leaving the others to wonder what the hell he got out of tormenting the poor guardian.

Jade opened the door and walked inside to hear the footsteps in the bathroom. Ah, so she wasn't kidding when she mentioned the sand earlier.

He spotted her rucksack on the bed and chuckled, she had already claimed the bed by the window too, how convinient.

"Don't even think about opening that door!" Violet snarled, muffled by the bathroom door as the running water in the background made it even harder to hear her. "The damn lock is broken!"

"I wouldn't dream of it, dear Violet!" Jade called and he heard an annoyed grunt before she walked away from the door again.

Jade stood there, his arms behind his back as he contemplated what he could do while he waited for the bath to become free. He walked over to the window and looked out at the beautiful scenery, watching the people walk by, getting on with their busy lives, almost as if the war looming on the horizon did not affect them.

How simple life must be outside the military.

Violet sat in the bath, staring at the wall as the water went up to her nose, she was tired, sweaty and covered in sand. No wonder she had gotten comfortable.

"That asshole..." Violet said, but it came out as nothing more than bubbles in the water. She pushed herself further up against the bath and ran her fingers through her hair, now soaked by the water. "Who does he think he is, forcing me to share a room with him!"

"I happen to be your custody officer! Shall I repeat what I said outside?" Jade's voice echoed through the room and Violet's cheeks flamed, oh how she hated that man.

"Would you give me some Goddamn privacy?!" Violet roared, tossing the soap at the door, which bounced off without actually affecting it.

Jade's chuckle resounded before he walked away.

"Ass..." Violet hissed out, quickly diving under the water to wash her hair, which needed a good scrub to be clean again. Once that was done, she sat back up and took a deep breath, tasting the humid air of the steamy bathroom and desert heat.

She leaned back and rested her head on the metal of the bath, looking up at the ceiling as she thought of what she had been through over the last seven weeks. She had been permanently scarred in three places, she had nearly died twice, she was stuck in the custody of the most irritating man in history and now she has the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.

Cheery.

Violet sighed and closed her eyes, allowing the stress of these last four weeks to wash away with the grime that gathered during that time. She hadn't had a bath since they left Baticul, this was like heaven.

Ignoring the Colonel who was still in the next room.

She wondered what she would be doing if she hadn't taken up the job in Baticul eight years ago. She would probably be at home, tending to the farms and helping the farmers.

She let a small, nostalgic smile pass over her lips as she remembered her teenage years on the Engeve fields. She had been so different then, before...

Her smile fell and she shook her head, opening her eyes and staring at the ceiling once more. "Before my life turned to shambles..." She muttered, sighing again.

~TotA~

Half an hour passed before Violet finally stood up and climbed out of the bath, wrapping herself in her towel as she checked on her battle suit.

It had to be dry before she could repair it.

Violet walked over and felt the fabric, smirking when she felt no moisture. These fonstone heaters here were rather well made it seemed.

She went to take her battle suit off the heater but froze as it got caught and a large tearing sound resonated around the room.

"CRAP!"

Jade hummed when he heard Violet's loud curse, he had been sat on the edge of the bed, flipping through a book he had found in the cupboard by the nightstand.

"Is something the matter?" Jade called when he heard another stream of curses.

"I hate my life!"

"Oh, whatever for?"

"Do you want a list?!"

Jade chuckled and stood up, placing the book carefully on the end of the bed, so it didn't fall, before he walked over to the door Violet was stood behind. "Is it something I can assist you with?"

Violet was silent for a moment before she opened the door, stood there in her bathrobe and a small, red blush coloring her cheeks. "Y-yes..."

Jade was surprised, he had expected her dismissal, that she was fine and didn't need help. This was something new. "And what is it you need assistance with?"

Violet looked away, glaring at the floor as she grimaced. Oh he was the last person she wanted to ask. "I...M-my battle suit's ruined..." She stammered, pointing to the shredded battle suit currently in the wastebasket. "Without clothes I can't buy another one myself, so..."

"Ahh, you want me to buy you one!" Jade finished for her with that cheerful edge in his tone, folding his arms behind his back as he looked down at her with an amused gleam in his eyes. "Well now, this is quite the surprise!"

"Sh-shut up! You're the one who shares the room with me, if it had been anyone else, I would have asked them!" Violet snarled, glaring up at Jade, who looked so damn amused she wanted to kick his ass.

"I see..." Jade said, his smirk widening at her angry embarrassment. "Do you have any preferred tastes? This old man doesn't know what you young people wear these days..."

"Would you cut the 'old' crap?!" Violet seethed, before her features turned cold. "It has to be either black or white..." Violet explained, forcing the blush from her cheeks once more. "Comfortable, and practical too..."

"Well then, I shall be back shortly..." He bowed his head and turned, leaving the room without another word. He was enjoying this, she was certain!

"B-bastard!"

~TotA~

Jade returned ten minutes later, a battle suit folded over his arm as Violet sat on her end of her bed, surprised that he actually got one that wasn't a rediculous color.

"I believe this suits your tastes?" Jade asked, walking over and holding out the battle suit with one hand, it was white at least. "I made sure to pick out the most practical and comfortable one, while keeping to your color preferences..."

Violet huffed and snatched the battle suit, standing and walking into the bathroom without another word. Jade's smirk widened and his amusement returned.

"Jade! You asshole!"

Jade hummed and looked up just as Violet opened the door slightly, poking her head out with a glare. "You could have picked something a little better!"

Jade smirked as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "Apologies, however it was the most fitting out of the other suits I saw of the same color..."

Violet made a noise of frustration and slipped back into the bathroom, closing the door again. "I hate you, you know that, right?"

"Of course, it was apparent when you kicked me in the nose all those weeks ago..." Jade said, looking at the door with that amused smile, he rather enjoyed their banter. It kept him amused.

"I don't regret that!" Violet called through the door as the noise of a zipper was heard. "You deserved it, that smug smile of your's was driving me up the wall!"

"I see you still haven't changed your view of me!" Jade sighed, mock hurt in his voice. "Honestly, your lack of faith is wounding..."

"Oh shut up!" Violet barked, irritated by his usual cheer and sarcasm. For a moment she was silent until her nervous voice filled the air. "L-laugh and I will kill you! I don't care if it will just add to my crimes!"

Jade's eyes sparkled with amusement and he folded both arms behind his back, facing the door with his head held high, awaiting her entrance.

The door opened and Violet walked out, her cheeks tinted red as she stood in her new battle suit.

The suit itself was shaped like a swimsuit was, without any coverage on the legs or arms, the neckline was the same as her last battle suit with the zip running down from it to her mid-abdomen. Now as well as boots, she wore gloves and a silk, transparent cape was clipped to her shoulders, flowing down her back to her mid-thigh.

The color scheme was inverted on this suit, although it matched the black and white design Violet had asked for, the suit was now white with a black zip, unlike before where it was black with a white zip. There were black outlines around the shoulders and thighs of the suit and both the boots and gloves had the same black outline around the ends, both the fingers and toes of the two different accessories being black too.

Violet stood there, looking away from Jade with discomfort, she hated this, she wished she had bought her own now. "If you say so much as one word about this, I will not hesitate to hurt you!"

Jade's smiled at her with his eyes closed, looking too sweet to be serious. "Ah, such a dazzling outfit, it suits you so well!" He said, his tone light and cheerful.

Violet growled, even if that was a compliment, she felt like someone had just punched her in the gut. Jade really knew how to make his compliments sound like insults.

"K-keep your comments to yourself!" Violet hissed. "I hate this suit, it looks ridiculous!"

"Now, now, there are very few places here that sell suits to your standards..." Jade said, smirking when she growled again, hearing the amusement in his tone. "Once we save Akzeriuth, you can buy another suit then, right now, we have to worry about the condition of the town and the duration of the journey to get there..."

Violet wanted to say something clever to counter him, but he had a point, if she were to shop for another suit and waste precious time, then she would just be slowing the journey down, and the people in Akzeriuth would suffer.

Jade's chuckle filled the air when she tsked and walked over to her bed, sitting down on the end and tugging on one of her new boots, checking the size and strength of them.

For something Jade picked out, it was actually rather comfortable.

Not that she would say that out loud.

~TotA~

"Aaaah! Such beautiful gems!" Anise cried, running over to a market stall and looking at the sparkling jewelry inside. It was like she had died and gone to heaven.

Violet stood with Anise, Ion, Guy and obviously Jade as they continued through the market place, shopping for the supplies they would need for the remainder of their travels.

"Why did you have to drag me into this?" Violet seethed, glaring at Jade who looked so damn pleased it was painful. "I know I'm a killer, I know I need to be punished, but _this_, this is torture and you know it!"

Jade let out a laugh that sounded rather similar to the one she had heard in the factory all those weeks ago. "Come now, dear Violet-"

"Stop calling me that!"

"-All we're doing is collecting supplies, how can that be torture?"

"Because all I want to do is lay on my bed and look at the ceiling, but no, you had to drag me out here just to collect supplies!"

"I do believe you're a survivalist, am I correct?"

"What was your first clue?"

"Then we need your expertise in collecting the necessary supplies..."

"Bullsh-"

"Language, my dear..."

"Oh shut up! You know far more than me about surviving!" Violet glared at him with an irritated gleam in her eyes as she and the others continued down the street. "I think you put me through situations I don't like because you get some sort of twisted kick out of it!"

"Oh come now, would I really stoop that low?"

"Yes!"

"How your words wound me, my dear..."

Violet's voice ground out through her teeth as she gripped the helm of her sword tighter, her eyes becoming icy. "Call me that again and it'll be four Malkuth Soldiers on my criminal record!"

"Such violent words..."

"Better than violent actions!"

Jade chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose as they continued, collecting their nessisary supplies with ease, Violet actually hating Jade so much more when she found that he had chosen most of the supplies they packed.

That asshole was going to pay for this!

~TotA~

_Blood._

_The thick red life elixir that kept the human body going, that's all she could see, it covered the ground around her, along with the bodies said blood belonged to._

_What now? What should she do?!_

_She ran, ran as fast as she could, not looking back, not trying to either. She couldn't face what had happened, she just couldn't._

_It's all her fault._

Violet gasped and her eyes snapped open, the sight of the Chesedonia Inn ceiling meeting her gaze. She stared at it hard as sweat slid down her forehead and she tried to regain her breathing.

She hadn't screamed, however that didn't mean the nightmares weren't fierce. She sat up and ran her fingers through her fringe, her entire body buzzing with adrenaline and shaking with fear.

She had seen it all so clearly, if she hadn't woken up, she would have thought it was happening all over again. That horrific event that took place nine years ago, why did it have to haunt her so much?

She gasped and turned to see if Jade had heard her distress, however to her relief he seemed sound asleep. Lying on his back with his face slightly more relaxed than usual, those rectangular frames he usually wore on his face now on the nightstand beside his bed.

He almost looked at peace, if it weren't for the serious expression still coating his features.

Violet sighed and dropped back down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling with contemplation. She wondered if the nightmares would ever leave her alone, if she would ever be rid of them.

A dark, humorless laugh left her, one full of bite and self-judgement. "Of course they won't..." She spoke softly, her voice as dark as her laugh. After all, her hands were stained with blood. She would carry these nightmares like she carried that burden.

She would never be rid of them.

The young woman rolled onto her side, her back to Jade's bed and closed her eyes, hoping that if she were to fall asleep again, they would leave her alone.

Just for one night.

Little did she know that Jade was awake, his eyes open as he turned his head, looking at her with that same seriousness that had been on his features moments ago.

This woman carried both the burdens of her sins and the burdens of an entire country, due to her title. He had to wonder, where did she find the strength to keep all that to herself.

When did she become the cold-hearted warrior he knew her as, and was that really who she was?

~TotA~

Another two weeks on a boat with this insufferable group? Violet groaned as they walked into the dock and saw the accusing boat waiting for them. She was sure whatever power that watched over them liked to make her suffer.

"Ah Violet, you look so grumpy!" Jade said with that usual cheer in his tone, irritating Violet even more. "Careful, you might start to look like Luke..."

"Shut the hell up, necromancer!" Violet seethed, glaring at him as they walked up the steps towards the boat, boarding it for their long trip. "I just don't like the fact that I have to spent another two weeks on a boat with you!"

"Oh your words are so hurtful, my dear..."

"Call me that again and I'll show you something else that's hurtful!"

Jade's smirk widened and he didn't even have to respond to know that he had won, nothing she said ever made an impact, she could never dent this man's unshakable pride.

Suddenly they heard a noise of pain and the entire group turned to see Guy fall to his knees, holding a strange glowing mark on his arm.

"Guy!" Luke shouted, running towards his friend and crouching down to help. However Guy raised the affected arm and pushed Luke back, causing the young noble to fall on his ass. "O-ow!" He hissed, pain flooding through his nerves at the small fall.

"What's the matter, Guy?" Jade asked, looking down at Guy with a curious gleam in his eyes, Violet was more startled than curious as she stared at the strange purple mark on Guy's arm.

What the hell was that thing?!

"I-I don't know..." Guy said with obvious pain in his voice, moving his hand away from his arm so he could see the mark. "My arm just...!"

Ion walked over to Guy and crouched down, speaking in a calm tone, trying to keep Guy from panicking. "Please let me have a look..." Ion asked, taking a close look at the strange glowing mark, he had seen this before.

Ion gasped and spoke with shock. "This is...A Curse Slot!" He said as the mark vanished, but the pain remained.

"A Curse Slot...?" Anise asked, speaking the question that was on everyone's mind but Jade's.

"It's one of the Daathic Fonic Artes...It uses people's hidden memories to control them..." Ion explained, still staring at Guy's arm, even when the mark was no longer there.

Even if it wasn't there, Ion knew the effects were still in motion, the mark didn't have to be seen to work.

"How did he get such a thing?" Tear asked as Violet's eyes sharpened, an emotion different to her usual cold expression gleaming in her eyes.

Almost like determination, like she felt a protective urge flow through her.

However she didn't care for these people, so she forced that strange emotion back and replaced it with her usual cold gleam.

"It was Sync..." Guy breathed, and Ion made a noise of questioning, looking up at Guy as the swordsman looked down at his injury. "He hit me here back in the Zao Ruins..."

"That would mean he's probably around here..." Ion said, standing up as Violet tsked and pulled out her sword, looking around for that little slime ball.

"What?!" Luke barked, standing up, he didn't want to have a run in with the God-Generals again.

"The closer the user, the more powerful the Curse Slot is...Let's get away from here immediately!"

However none of them knew that just behind the wall of a nearby building, Sync stood, trying to control Guy using the Curse Slot. 'He's resisting more than I thought he would...' Sync thought, then smirked cruelly.

'Anyway, they'll all die in Akzeriuth...'

~TotA~

Five minutes passed since the boat left the dock and everyone stood in one cabin, looking at Guy who was holding his head, but seemed more relaxed than before.

"Guy, are you alright?" Ion asked, sitting the closest to the young swordsman.

"Yeah..." Guy sighed, removing his hand from his head and resting it against the table. "The pain's subsided..."

"So that little bastard really was there?" Violet said, turning from the window to look at them, she had been looking out for any unwanted followers.

They didn't want a repeat of Dist.

Ion looked down with a frown and Violet looked out of the window again, she wasn't going to let those assholes stop them from saving Akzeriuth.

She would not allow them to stain her hands with even more blood.

~TotA~

Two days passed since they departed from the dock in Chesedonia, Violet was sat on the deck, her eyes closed as she absorbed the sunlight. The others were off doing their own little thing, so she thought she would take this time to finally get some peace and quiet.

Right now, she was relaxing, something she hadn't been able to do since the whole Curse Slot incident, she assumed the God-Generals would attack them while out at sea, so she had spent most of the time on edge in case said attack happened.

Nothing did, so she's finally letting herself relax, even if it was for a few minutes.

Suddenly she hissed and shot up, gripping her hair with a groan. It felt like someone was trying to tear her skull open with their bare hands.

_Violet...Fonon...Allow me..._

The pain slowly eased away and Violet panted, looking ahead without really seeing anything, then all too suddenly the world spun and she fell back, unconscious.

~TotA~

Violet groaned as she felt her consciousness returning, slowly opening her eyes to be met with the support beams of the top bunk instead of the blue skies above the deck.

"What the...?"

"You collapsed again..."

Violet gasped and shot up, looking to her right to see Jade stood by the wall, his arms crossed and a serious expression covering his features.

Her eyes turned cold and she scoffed, remembering not to get up too soon because of last time. "Must be the sea air..." She said with a little bite, trying to tell Jade to mind his own business without actually saying the words.

"Can you tell me the cause?" Jade asked, although he already knew the answer, it was the sudden pain she had recieved last time, wasn't it? However he had to confirm a suspicion.

Violet looked away as she thought, she remembered lying on the deck, and then nothing, at first when she opened her eyes she had thought she must have fallen asleep and someone carried her inside. "No, I only remember being out on the deck, then I woke up here..." She said, her voice strong, as if trying to convince Jade she was fine.

Red eyes locked on lilac with an intense gaze, as if calculating and analyzing her answer by checking their depths.

She was telling the truth it seemed, there was no unease in her answer and her eyes were just as cold and strong as ever. "Well then, get some rest and join us when you feel better..." He said, turning and leaving the room without another word.

Jade doubted it was the sea air causing her sudden headaches and collapses, there must be something behind them.

But what?

~TotA~

A week passed since the depart and most of the group were sat in the cafeteria, Violet at the table on the far side of the room, while the others, apart from Jade who wasn't there, were sat together, chatting and joking openly.

The door opened and Jade walked inside, his smirk present on his lips as he walked over to the counter and ordered his usual meal.

Violet hummed and looked up from the slice of cheesecake she was tucking into. She spotted Jade and closed her eyes again, taking the bite from the fork she had hovering in front of her mouth.

She didn't care that he was there, or that the others would like her to sit with them, right now she wanted to be alone. She always wanted to be alone.

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

Violet groaned and looked up to see Jade stood there with a plate in hand, smiling with one hand behind his back. She looked around and saw several other empty tables. "Why not sit at one of them?" She asked, pointing at a random, empty table with her fork.

"Oh, I just didn't feel like being alone..." Jade said, feigning a lonely tone as he sat down, his curry placed down in front of him. "I thought you would want some company, seeing as you look rather bored..."

Violet glared at Jade and cut another piece of cheesecake off. "Not bored, irritated..." She said, her voice holding her usual bite as she slipped the piece of cake between her lips. "Now, go away..."

"Oh come now, I've only just sat down..." Jade said, sighing with a smirk as he picked up his fork and stabbed it into a piece of meat. "You wouldn't force an old man like me to get up and hurt my back, would you?"

"Your old crap really pisses me off..." Violet said, her eyes staying cold as she tapped the table with her unoccupied fingers, a four beat thrum against the wooden surface.

Jade chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose before slipping the piece of meat between his lips, tasting the strong spices as he chewed.

Violet sighed and closed her eyes as she took another piece of cheesecake and bit into it, tasting the flavors of the creamy dessert. "I wonder how Akzeriuth is holding up..." She said out loud, opening her eyes to meet Jade's amused crimson orbs.

"Well, well, I must admit, it is a surprise to hear you sound genuinely concerned, dear Violet..." Jade said, his tone light as he scraped some rice onto his fork and popped the contents into his mouth.

"Sh-shut it, Necromancer!" Violet seethed, glaring at him as a small red blush covered her cheeks. That was becoming more frequent, as if she realized she was opening up only after she had done so. "I just don't want any extra work! If they're half dead by the time we get there, I'll have to explain it all to His Majesty and that's a pain in the ass!"

"Your kindness is touching..."

"So's your honesty..." Violet countered and Jade's amusement echoed as he let out a small laugh.

"To be young and spirited!"

"I'm only a little younger than you are, if I keep having to repeat this, I really will think you're starting to go senile..." Violet smirked and popped the last bit of the cheesecake into her mouth.

Jade chuckled again, honestly her cold comebacks were amusing to him, it was as if she as fighting with herself, whether to be kind or be cold, he could tell this just by her words and the tone she used.

Violet placed her fork on the plate and stood up. "Don't eat too fast, old man, you might choke..." She said, her tone teasing as she turned and walked away, placing the plate on the counter before she left the room.

Jade smirked and pushed his glasses up his nose, glancing back at the others to see them all staring at where Violet had gone with shock.

She was a rather strange young woman, wasn't she?

~TotA~

Thirteen days had passed since they left Chesedonia now and Violet was in her cabin, dressed in her bathrobe and roughing her hair up with a spare towel she found.

Tomorrow they would stop at Kaitzur and continue towards a place called Deo Pass, which would take two more weeks of travel. At the end of Deo Pass was Akzeriuth and the miasma.

Violet frowned and paused in her movement, draping the towel on her shoulders she sighed and looked out of the window at the night sky.

"I wonder if we'll make it in time..." She said to herself, her frown deepening. "After all, a full month trapped in a smog of miasma? Could anyone survive that?"

A knock echoed on her door and she blinked, remembering her conversation with Tear back when they were taking Luke home to Baticul. "Who's there?" She called, beginning to dry her hair again.

"Nice to see you're still awake!" Jade called through the door, his voice muffled by the wood. "I was just informing you that we would be arriving tomorrow, make sure you prepare in Kaitzur before we make our way to Deo Pass!"

"I know, Colonel!" Violet said, rolling her eyes. "I was the one who calculated the time it would take to get to Akzeriuth, I've been keeping count!"

"What a clever woman!"

Violet felt the compliment/insult take effect and glared at the door as if her harsh stares would reach the man through the wood and he would feel some semblance of fear. "Go and take a midnight dive, Freak!"

Jade's sigh came through the door, dripping with mock hurt. "Honestly, I compliment you and you still take it as offense..." He called, then she heard his footsteps as he walked away.

Violet scoffed and tossed her towel on the sofa, running her fingers through her fringe to remove some knots before she retreated to the bathroom, taking the comb and ripping it through her hair to remove any of the others.

She placed the comb down and roughed her hair up slightly, giving it her usual style before she turned and took her underclothes off the heater and removed her bathrobe, slipping into the comfortable vest and boy shorts she wore beneath her battle suit.

The Kimlasca Guardian walked from the bathroom and slipped under the covers of her bed, looking up at the support beams of the top bunk as she thought back to the day this rediculous series of adventures took place.

Oh she hated that hyperresonance.

~TotA~

Another week went by in little to no time at all and now the entire group had set up camp for the night, only a week left before they would finally reach Akzeriuth and save the people there.

Luke had pissed them all off during the duration of the trip from leaving the boat to the camp they were in now, complaining, continuously telling them about his title, and mentioning Van more times than they could count.

Violet was sat by the fire, poking at it with a stick to keep the flames from going out, it was rather late and she and Jade were the only two left awake at this time.

Jade was inspecting his spear for damage after the last monster had almost chipped it on it's large shell, his eyes scanning over the weapon with concentration, looking for the slightest imperfection.

"You know, if you didn't wear your glasses, you might see things a little better..." Violet said, sitting back once she had finished livening up the fire. "After all, those glasses work like normal glasses, they must be screwing with your eyesight..."

"Not in the slightest..." Jade said, running his hand up the spear, feeling for bumps or dents in the metal. "I can see just as well with these glasses as I can without..."

Violet rolled her eyes and looked up at the stars, leaning back on her hands as she did so, possibly unaware that she looked rather relaxed and that Jade spotted this as he looked at her over the rim of his glasses before returning to his inspections.

"Are you worried about Akzeriuth?" Violet suddenly asked, causing Jade to pause for a moment before continuing, touching the blade of his spear carefully, as not to hurt himself, checking for chips in the sharp surface.

"That's a rather odd question coming from you, Violet..." Jade said, satisfied that his spear was in mint condition as he made his disappear once more before crossing one leg over the other, resting his hands in his lap. "Has something brought this on?"

Violet huffed and glared at Jade before she looked back at the sky. "I was just wondering if you felt human emotion, Necromancer! Nothing more..."

Jade chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose, watching as Violet got to her feet and dusted off her ass before she made her way to her camp bed and slipped inside, resting for the night.

Would she ever learn to trust them?

~TotA~

"We're finally at Deo Pass!" Violet said with a sigh, looking down at the sheer drop from the barrier free, natural bridge they were crossing.

It had been another week since that night and Violet was actually feeling rather relieved that the journey was almost over.

Even though the hardest part was yet to come.

"Once we've crossed this pass, we'll be at Akzeriuth..." Jade said, his tone cheerful as he too, along with the others felt similar feelings of relief, at least now they were just one more path away from saving those poor people.

"Hey, Luke, loosen up..." Guy said, smiling at the young noble as he stood there with an annoyed expression, one Violet had deemed his normal face. "Van's waiting for you in Akzeriuth!"

Luke made a noise of irritation and closed his eyes, speaking with arrogance in his tone, something that had been grinding on Violet's nerves since they had left Baticul just over a month ago.

"We shouldn't have made that detour in the desert..." He said and Anise made a noise of anger, running forward and standing in front of Luke, halting the group's movement.

"Hey! What do you mean, 'detour?'" Anise asked, her angry tone turning into hopeful confusion. She was hoping she had heard wrong.

"A detour is a detour..." Luke said, looking down at the young Fon Master Guardian, before turning his attention to the skies above, his tone gaining more arrogance than before, if that were possible. "Even if Ion isn't around, the war won't start as long as I'm here..."

"You're an _idiot_!" Anise said with a bite to her voice, glaring at Luke like he had wronged a million people.

"A-an idiot?!" Luke gasped, looking down at the Fon Master Guardian with shock.

"Luke, even I thought that was arrogant of you..." Tear said as everyone shared a look of irritation, sick of Luke's constant attitude problem. Even Jade's expression showed that he hadn't favored Luke's words.

"This peace could only be achieved because of the deep respect my father and the emperor of Malkuth both have for Fon Master Ion..." Natalia explained, her eyes cold, but Violet's eyes were like ice, anger flaring in them.

"No..." Ion said, looking down with a frown, Luke's words really hitting home. "It's not that both countries respect me..." He closed his eyes with a soft exhale before he continued. "They just want Yulia's Score..."

"That's not..." Tear stared, unsure how to finish and Guy took over, a frown on his features, much like everyone else.

"I can't agree with that way of thinking..." Guy said, his expression defiant of Ion's words. He didn't believe them to be true, much like everyone else in the group. "Ion is like a deterrent...Though I guess that's also thanks to Yulia's Score..."

"I see, I see!" Jade said, his tone bright and cheerful as he stood there with his arms crossed and his eyes closed, looking so damn amused Violet wanted to punch him. "You're all so young! Well, shall we be on our way?" Then he placed both hands on his hips and continued walking.

Guy let out a slightly amused laugh as Luke glared at Jade and continued walking, angered by Anise and Tear's words. "Man, he never passes up an opportunity to say things like that..."

"You've got that right..." Violet said, smirking as she continued down the path, she actually found Jade's cheerful deflection rather cunning. He must have done this before.

Violet's steps faltered and she shook her head, continuing down the path. Lately she had caught herself more than once going to praise members of the group.

She had to get a hold of herself before she became attached to these insufferable idiots.

~TotA~

Another hour of walking found the group walking around a cliff, where a barrier kept the visitors of the pass from falling and the path was well constructed and had some slight damage, but not enough to cause them to fall.

Guy looked to his left and spotted Anise giving Luke the coldest glare she could, while she walked with the rest of the group. "Oh, what's this?" Guy said, getting Anise's attention. "Is our Anise angry?"

Anise made an awkward face before she turned her head and waved her hands at Guy in a negative gesture. "O-o-of course not! I really love Master Luke..." Then she spoke in a much softer, almost unheard tone. "And his fortune..."

Violet rolled her eyes as Jade let out a soft chuckle, obviously Anise wasn't very good at speaking quietly.

"Ah, well, I did get a little upset..." Anise admitted, looking up with a nervous smile, trying to hide her obvious anger.

Jade looked around with his usual smile. "This path is in better condition than I thought..." He said cheerfully, as Violet crossed her arms and smirked.

Was Jade admiring an old, rocky path?

"It's true..." Guy said, examining the path, much like Jade was. "Especially since this road isn't used often anymore nowadays..."

"How come?" Luke asked, looking back at Guy with curious, green eyes, this was his first time here, after all, and the young noble was still rather ignorant of the world and how it worked.

"This was originally a road from Kimlasca to Akzeriuth..." Guy said, looking at the young master with a smile, explaining the history of this path.

However it was Natalia who continued, looking out at the view with a glare, knowing the facts better than the others due to her princess heritage, well, better than everyone but Jade, this man apparently knew everything. "Since the town was taken by Malkuth, there has been no need for it anymore..."

"Well..." Jade started, looking at Natalia with that little gleam of mischief in his eyes. "If Kimlasca is eyeing Akzeriuth, then it would make sense to keep it in good repair..."

Violet smirked with amusement as Natalia shot Jade a dirty look, her eyes sharp, almost as sharp as Violet's when she got angry. "What is that supposed to mean?" The princess asked, an obvious bite in her tone.

"I said _if_..." Jade clarified, closing his eyes and lowering his head with that insufferable smile tilting his lips. "_If_..." He could hear Violet chuckle behind him however she returned to her cold self seconds later, realizing that she had let the mask slip again.

No way in hell was she going to laugh at the Necromancer's sarcasm.

"You really do have a way of testing one's patience with your words..." Natalia said, still glaring at Jade as she turned her head forward once more. "No wonder Violet isn't particularly fond of you..."

"I'm not fond of him full stop!" Violet said, her laughter going at that simple sentence, when the hell did she give the impression that she wasn't _particularly_ fond of Jade.

She hated that sarcastic, irritating bastard.

Jade let out the same God-awful laugh he had given Guy in the factory and Violet in Chesedonia, adjusting his glasses as he spoke. "Indeed..." He said, looking up at her with bright eyes and a wide smile. "I'll be more careful!"

Suddenly everyone turned as Ion fell to his knees, placing one hand on the ground to keep himself up, the other still holding his scepter. "Master Ion!" Anise called, running over and crouching down beside the weak Fon Master.

"Are you alright?" Tear asked, running over and crouching down as well. "Shall we take a break?"

"No..." Ion said, opening his eyes, his cheeks red and sweat coating his forehead, obviously over doing it. "I'm alright..."

"No, you're not!" Anise said with worry in her tone, placing her hand on Ion's back as she looked at the others in front of her, Jade, Guy and Violet behind her, but knowing she was speaking to the whole group. "Everyone, let's take a break!"

"A break?" Luke asked, his voice toned at disbelief, Violet's eyes sharpened and she placed a hand on her hip, awaiting his usual whining session. "What are you talking about? Master's already way ahead of us!"

"Luke!" Natalia said strongly, stepping forward, her tone not sharp or strict, but only slightly urging, trying to lead Luke away from his bad attitude without shouting. "It will be alright..."

"She's right..." Guy said, placing his hand on his hip too, a frown on his lips. "It's a tough mountain path, he can't help it..."

"_I'm _the goodwill ambassador! If I say we go, then we go!"

Violet hissed, feeling a sharp pain suddenly hit her hard in the head, gripping her hair tight as it faded, the others unaware of this as they were glaring at Luke.

Except Jade, who's eyes narrowed for a moment before he spoke with his usual bright tone, his smile not wavering at all. "Well then, let's rest for a bit! Fon Master Ion, will that be alright?" He looked down at the exhausted Fon Master, even though the decision already seemed made for him.

They wouldn't allow Ion to shorten his life because Luke couldn't be a little bit patient.

"Hey!" Luke roared, stomping his foot on the ground like a spoiled brat as everyone ignored him, they couldn't be bothered with his attitude anymore, even the most calm of them wanted to slap some sense into the young noble.

"Luke, I'm sorry...It's my fault..." Ion said and Violet made a noise of irritation, why should the Fon Master apologize, it wasn't his fault he wasn't in perfect health.

Luke tsked and crossed his arms, looking away with his nose in the air, like the arrogant asshole he was. "Alright, fine..." He said, glancing down at Ion. "But only for a little while..."

"Thank you very much..." Ion said, both gratitude and kindness in his voice as Violet sighed and ran her fingers through her fringe, before slipping her rucksack of her shoulders and taking out a water bottle.

"Here..." Violet said, walking over and holding out the bottle of water, her expression still cold, but no bite in her tone. "This'll help..."

"Thank you, Violet!" Ion said as he took the water and she made a noise of discomfort, walking over to the wall and leaning against it, glaring at them as she waited patiently for them to continue again.

"You felt some pain, didn't you?"

Violet hummed and turned her head to the left slightly, looking at Jade from the corner of her eye, confirming that he was the one who had spoken to her.

She glared at him with icy eyes as she crossed her arms. "No, you're imagining things..." She said, her voice now holding bite. Had she realized how kind she sounded and decided to put it right again.

Jade frowned and folded both arms behind his back. He had a feeling she was lying, he had seen her pain, he knew it was caused by the same pain that made her collapse on two different occasions, and now it was becoming more frequent.

Violet glanced at him as he smirked and turned, leaning against the wall as well, crossing his arms and placing one ankle against the rough, stone surface. "What? Are you copying me now in hopes that'll piss me off too?" She asked, and Jade chuckled, pushing his glasses up his nose before placing both hands on each elbow, looking at her with bright eyes.

"Come now, would I stoop as low as that?"

"Yes!"

"Your words only get harsher by the day..."

"Your sarcasm gets more irritating by the day!"

Jade's smirk widened as he lifted his chin, looking down at her with an amused expression, which was just as irritating as his sarcasm.

Suddenly a gunshot went off and Luke jumped back, forcing both Jade and Violet to push off the wall and run over, turning to see a figure stood on the high edge of the very same cliff.

"Major Legretta!" Tear called, stepping forward with her scepter held tightly, Violet gripping the helm of her sword and pulling the weapon from her sheathe, pointing it at Legretta with a warning gleam in her eyes.

"You...!" Luke growled, glaring up at Legretta. "Did you come to take Ion again?!"

"Tear, why do you keep following these people around?" Legretta asked, still pointing her gun at them as she looked Tear in the eye.

"What about you, Major?" Tear countered, giving the same look back as she continued. "Why do you keep on kidnapping Fon Master Ion to take him to the Sephiroth?"

"To win back freedom and free will for humanity..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tear asked, confusion in her tone, she didn't know what Legretta was talking about.

"This world is ruled by the Score..." Legretta explained, venom in her tone along with disgust and disgrace, like she hated humanity, just because of the Score. "Don't you find it strange that people rely on the Score for everything they do?"

Ion ran forward, trying to speak sense to Legretta as Natalia raised her arm, stopping the Fon Master from running into harm's way. "The Score is but a tool to show people the right path!"

"Perhaps for you, Fon Master, but too many people have become overly dependent on it..." Legretta said, arguing with Ion's words. "The worst cases even consult it to decide what to have for dinner..." Legretta, who had lifted her gun, now pointed it at them again with more of a threat to the action than before. "You're no different!"

Violet hissed again, the pain throbbing through her skull, much stronger than before, causing her to stagger back. However only a second later it faded once again. She shook her head to clear her mind of dizziness and looked back up, her fingers digging into her scalp.

"We don't go that far, but..." Anise started, however she trailed off, unsure how to complete that sentence.

"It is certainly easier to just rely on the Score..." Jade said, speaking with the voice of reason and knowledge. Typical.

"That's exactly what I find insane!" Legretta said, her eyes shining with anger, as if the human race was to blame and not the Score itself. "Tear, come back to us!" She turned her attention to the young Oracle Knight once more, who's resolve hadn't shifted.

"Is that my brother's orders?" Tear asked, still untrusting of Van's intentions, even now after he offered to help them and even took the decoy ship to aid their travels.

"It isn't, but Commandant Grants _is_ worried about you..." Legretta said and Tear gasped, realizing that Legretta herself was asking her to come back.

_Mystearica stood there, nervous as she waited for her grandfather to return with a visitor for her. She didn't know what was going on and why she was summoned, but if it was important, she would listen._

_"You're the Commandant's younger sister, Mystearica, correct?" A voice asked and Mystearica looked up to see a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes._

_"Grandfather, who is this...?" Mystearica asked, turning to her grandfather, who was stood by the visitor._

_"She's a subordinate of Van's, Legretta..." Her grandfather said, looking at Legretta who had a serious expression, calculating this girl's potential. "Van sent her to supervise your training...Like a private instructor, you can say..."_

_"A private instructor?"_

_~TotA~_

_Spears clashed, one with expertise and the other with a clumsiness that would have to be remedied before it could be used in battle._

_Mystearica gasped and blocked another one of Legretta's attacks before she turned far to slowly to attack herself, freezing with another gasp as Legretta the Quick managed to point her spear at the young trainee's throat, stopping all movements._

_"Don't let your guard down..." Legretta said, her tone strict. "Doing so only invites and enemy attack..." Then she lowered her spear and Mystearica did the same._

_"Yes, ma'am..." Mystearica said, and Legretta nodded stiffly, showing she trusted that Mystearica had listened to her words._

Tear looked up at Legretta as she pulled herself from her memories. "It's because of your guidance that I'm here now, Major..." She called up, her voice echoing with the strength of her words. "But I still doubt my brother's intentions...Until these suspicions are cleared, I won't go back!" She looked away at the last line, unable to meet her instructor's eyes as she allowed her words to sink in.

"Tear!" Legretta called, trying to persuade her former student once more. "Are you saying you choose this reject over the Commandant?"

Jade gasped softly and Violet hummed, looking at the Colonel with curiosity. Nothing usually surprised this man. It was almost creepy that he reacted, even if it was only slightly.

"R-reject?" Luke repeated in shock, before he yelled with anger and annoyance. Again, typical. "You mean me?!"

"I see..." Jade spoke softly, before raising his voice, his tone strong and demanding, as if commanding that she answer him. "So it really was you who revived this forbidden technology!"

"Jade, don't!" Ion said, turning to the Colonel with urgency in his voice. "Some things people are better off not knowing!"

"Ion, you knew?" Jade asked, looking at the young Fon Master.

"Wh-what?" Luke asked, looking back at the group with confusion, his tone demanding also, but not for the same reasons, his own selfishness clouding his demand. "Don't just keep talking while leaving me in the dark!"

"Luke, shut up!" Violet hissed, she had a feeling this conversation was important, she couldn't allow his childish actions to interrupt it.

"Whose idea was it? Dist's?" Jade asked, just as Luke opened his mouth to speak and Violet hissed at him, raising her hand as she looked at Jade, his expression just as serious and authorative as his tone.

"Are you talking about Fomicry?" Legretta asked and Violet's hand dropped and a confused look melted across her face. Fomicry.

What did Fomicry have to do with this?

"What good will it do you to know?" Legretta continued, as if trying to deflect the conversation.

"Answer me!" Jade called, his voice not shifting, his resolve unshaken. He wanted answers and he'd be damned if he didn't get them.

"The die has been cast, Jade the Necromancer!" Legretta said, her tone stronger than before as she pointed one of her guns at the group.

In that split second, Jade changed right before Violet's eyes, his own blood red eyes narrowing and his lips curling back into an angry snarl. "Why, you..." He hissed, taking long strides forward, raising his hand to cast.

However a bullet hit the ground where he was just about to place his foot, and he managed to step back before losing his balance, looking up at Legretta as she spoke.

"Tear, come back to us at any time!" Legretta called, lowering her weapon before she gave Violet one sharp look. "Know this Kimlasca Guardian, soon you will have to choose!" Then she turned and jumped down, disappearing from sight.

Violet stared at where she had been with confusion. What did she mean? Choose what?!

"This is no laughing matter!" Jade roared, his anger coming off him in waves as Violet turned to him, a small chill going up her spine at his sudden display of emotion.

"Colonel, what's gotten into you?" Violet asked, re-sheathing her sword as Jade quickly realized what had happened and straightened up. His smirk slipping back onto his lips as he took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his fringe, sorting the already neat strands.

"Pardon me, I got carried away..." He said turning away from the group. "I'm fine now..." Then he walked away, Violet staring at him with a soft look of surprise.

She hadn't thought of Jade being the type to lose control like that? What caused such a rare and slightly terrifying reaction?

"Let's go..." Tear said, and the others nodded, following behind, Violet stroking her chin as she contemplated Legretta's last words before she fled.

What would she have to choose? It was such a strange and vague sentence. How was she supposed to know what it meant?

"What was that?" Luke called and Violet sighed, closing her eyes and picking up the pace slightly, she was at the edge of her patience with this boy. "You guys keep on talking about things I don't get!"

"I'm not going to kill him...I'm not going to kill him..." Violet muttered to herself, which would have made Jade chuckle, if he wasn't ignoring Luke like everyone else was trying to.

"Wait! Don't screw with me!" Luke called again, his voice almost cracking with a childish and spoiled tone. "You guys are making fun of me! You're ignoring me...! I'm the goodwill ambassador, you hear?!"

"I'm not going to kill him!" Violet hissed, gritting her teeth as she clenched both her fists. "I won't kill that spoiled, arrogant little-"

"Give it a rest already!" Tear called and Violet hummed, not stopping as she turned her head, thinking that the words were directed at her. However she turned back and continued walking when she realized that it was Luke Tear was talking to. "You're always acting like a child!"

"Master...Master wouldn't make fun of me like this! He'd always explain the things I don't understand!" Luke called, and Violet's eyes narrowed, she had forced her self control to the limits during this past month.

She just wanted to turn and slap some sense into a former pupil.

"Master is the only one who's ever kind to me!" Luke's words caused Violet to freeze and a hiss to escape her lips, gripping her hair tightly as she squeezed her eyes shut, pain clouding her mind.

"Violet, what's the matter?" Jade asked as he, and the others, turned at her noise of pain. His expression was serious, he knew those headaches were bothering her again. When she didn't answer, so he spoke again with a small push in his tone. "Violet, can you hear me?"

Violet's eyes opened and everyone in front of her froze at the sight. Her usual lilac irises now stained the color of blood as she straightened up, her expression colder and darker than ever before.

Tear gasped too when Violet turned to them and looked directly at Luke, her expression going from cold to angry in seconds. "_You spineless little scum!_" Violet growled.

Jade made another noise of surprise as he listened to the voice that spoke. That wasn't Violet, this voice was too deep, _too_ cold. Violet's voice was indeed and undertone to this one, but he doubted she had any control over her words.

Violet stormed over to Luke and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him slightly to meet her red eyes. "_Speaking as if The One Who Would Seize Glory was the only one who was ever kind to you!_"

"Wh-what?" Luke gasped, grabbing Violet's hand on his collar, surprised by her sudden actions, no one moved, unsure what to do and if acting would cause harm to either her or Luke.

"_I have watched this child from birth to death, every single moment of her life played out in front of me!_"

'Odd...' Jade thought, his eyes narrowing once again as he crossed his arms, listening intently. 'Violet is speaking in the third person, not in the first...Is she being controlled?'

Each and everything Violet did from this point to the point she regained her normal eye color would be analyzed and researched later.

"_Although she is cold, wasn't she there for you throughout the years of your childhood?_" Violet asked, her snarl starting to frighten Luke as he trembled and looked into her red eyes with his own wide, green eyes.

"_You have no idea what she has been through, the crimes she has committed and the nightmares-_" Violet gasped and dropped Luke, who collected his footing as Violet staggered back, her eyes going blank.

"Violet!" Jade and the others called as her eyes slipped shut and she fell sideways, landing hard on her right side, no longer conscious.

"Is she alright?" Natalia asked as the group stood around her and Jade crouched down, turning her so she was lying on her back before he tugged off his glove and pressed his fingers to her neck, feeling for a pulse.

"She's alive..." Jade confirmed and everyone sighed. "However assuming she doesn't remember this strange phenomenon, I would ask you all to keep it from her..."

"What, why?" Guy asked, obviously concerned for the person he thought of as a dear friend. "She has a right to know!"

"Does she?" Jade looked at Guy over his shoulder with a serious expression. "Would you like it if someone told you that a strange body had taken over her conscious mind?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Exactly, imagine the panic, the insanity that Violet would go through...Until we can confirm what it is that is taking control and if said body is dangerous, then we must keep it from her, to stop her sanity from wavering..."

"Well, when you put it like that..." Natalia said, looking down with a frown. "It's not like we have much choice, is it?"

"Luke!" Tear called, looking at the young noble, who seemed annoyed again. "Don't tell Violet about this, understood?"

"Why would I tell her, she's nothing but a pest!" Luke called, crossing his arms and looking away with a snobby, spoiled brat expression.

Tear narrowed her eyes but hummed as she heard a groan from the woman in question.

Violet's eyelids squeezed together tightly before she slowly opened them, looking up to see the blurry faces of everyone she travelled with. "You know..." She started, blinking several times to clear her vision. "It's really creepy to wake up to all of you hovering over me..."

Jade chuckled and stood up, pushing his glasses up his nose. "She seems alright, her attitude hasn't been affected by her sudden collapse..."

"Sudden collapse?" Violet asked, slowly sitting up, placing one hand on the ground behind her to keep her steady, and the other on her head, where she felt some slight pain and a hell of a lot of dizziness.

"First of all, what can you recall?" Jade asked, looking down at her with an expression that reminded of her of her interrogation over a month ago.

"I remember Luke shouting a load of useless crap..." She shot Luke a glare and he shot one back. "Then I felt some pain and the next thing I know, I wake up to a bunch of irritating kids, oh and your annoying ass..." She smirked and dropped her hand onto her leg, looking up with a confused expression. "Why, what happened?"

"Basically that..." Guy said, laughing nervously, rubbing the back of his head with an awkward smile. "We got really worried, you just hissed and collapsed right in front of us!"

"This is the third time you have collapsed like this over the course of the last month..." Jade counted as Ion held out his hand to help Violet up, but she slapped it away and slowly got to her feet herself, staggering slightly, but able to maintain her balance. "Is there some medical issue you have been keeping from us, something you were diagnosed with at any point in your life?"

"No..." Violet said, dusting herself off and looking at her arm, where a small graze was, she noted that this was probably the side she had collapsed on. "I'm not hiding anything like that from you...If I didn't have a perfect bill of health, I could never have trained Luke..."

Jade calculated her answer before he nodded, accepting it. She was correct, training a noble the way of the sword is like joining the military, you must have perfect health. "Alright, please refrain from overexerting yourself in the future, if you feel dizzy, rest..."

"I'm fine, Colonel!" Violet pushed, glaring at Jade as she continued walking, her steps shaky, but stable enough to keep her going. "We're wasting time, if we don't get to Akzeriuth, everyone there will die!"

The group, except Jade and Violet, who were both walking now, all looked at one another before they continued, hiding their worry for the Kimlasca Guardian.

What the hell was it that took over? It certainly wasn't Violet, they all knew that much.

However they had to force their questions back and continue, Akzeriuth was depending on them, if they didn't hurry everyone would die just like Violet said.

They couldn't fail. They _wouldn't_ fail.

* * *

**A/N: What did you think? I spent most of Chapter 6 and up to Chesedonia in Chapter 7 designing Violet's new battle suit. It was so hard to choose because I had two designs, and this one just won it in my eyes.**

**Please review, all comments and advice are appreciated and welcome! I love hearing from you about my strengths and weaknesses, they help me improve and I am grateful for them.**

**Thank you!**


	8. Chapter 8: Collapse

**Chapter 8 - Collapse**

* * *

**A/N: This too soooooo long to get right. I'm not even kidding.**

**I do not own Tales of the Abyss.**

**I do however own Violet Brave Moon and any other OCs mentioned, please ask permission before using them.**

**I thought this one would be shorter considering that it's got a lot less free time to add in, but it's still really long, so please make sure you have a decent amount of time spare before you read it.**

**WARNING: Contains mass murder and mentions of insanity.**

**I warned you.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The entire group drew closer to the edge of the cliff, looking around with solemn surprise as the air began to change color, now a faint purple, the color of the miasma that threatened the town of Akzeriuth.

"We're getting closer..." Jade said, pushing his glasses up his nose as the edge of the cliff came into reach. "We should see Akzeriuth from that ledge..."

Luke quickened his pace and walked up the edge of the cliff, inhaling and covering his mouth with the back of his hand when the small amount of miasma in the air left a foul taste on his tongue.

"The miasma has spread this far...!" Tear gasped as the other joined the young noble, looking out at the terrible sight that met them.

"It's worse than I thought..." Guy said with a sigh.

The entire area was covered in a shroud of miasma, and right in the center, where the town stood, was the thickest fog of purple poison anyone had ever seen. Akzeriuth was hidden from sight due to the thick density of the smog.

"This is..." Luke started, unsure how to take in this information, he had never seen miasma before, so this would shock him more than the others.

"The mining town, Akzeriuth..." Jade clarified, his arms behind his back and his eyes on the town ahead, much like everyone else's.

"We took too long in getting here..." Violet said, narrowing her eyes as she turned and walked a little down the path. "Come on, if we go back, we're bound to find a path to the town..."

"I agree with Violet..." Jade said, turning and following her. "There appears to be no path from this ledge, so we'll have to retrace our steps and find another route..."

"That sounds reasonable..." Natalia said, following them as the others, except Luke agreed. The young noble grumbling to himself as they backtracked carefully, searching for any signs of another path.

Violet grunted softly and gripped her chest as they walked down a new path they found at the bottom of the ledge, her chest burning slightly every time she inhaled.

"Is something wrong?" Jade asked, seeing as he was the closest to her. "Are you still feeling the effects of your collapse?"

"No, I'm fine..." Violet said, inhaling deeply and ignoring the pain that it caused. "Let's hurry, it's been a month, we have to assess the casualties the delay has caused..."

Jade gave her an analyzing stare before he turned his attention forward again. She had felt pain in her chest, when usually it was her head.

Was that strange body harming her from the inside out, or was it something else?

~TotA~

The town was in a worse condition inside than it was from the cliff, the people were all weak and breathing deeply, some on the verge of losing consciousness and some already dying from the strength of the miasma.

"How horrible..." Natalia breathed, her hand hovering just below her mouth as she and the others looked at the sick residents of this large mining town.

"Everyone's suffering..." Mieu said softly, looking around like the others, a small frown on his little face.

Violet grunted again and gripped the fabric of her battle suit, a grimace on her lips as a small burning sensation lit up in her chest.

However she pushed that to the side, even if she was dying she would not let it get in the way of the rescue operation. She had a job to do, and she'd be damned if it wasn't successful!

"Mama!" A young boy cried from near the wall, hugging his mother who slumped over, unmoving. Natalia gasped and turned, running over to her before anyone could react and help.

Natalia crouched down beside the woman and held her shoulder, turning her so the princess could check her over for any signs of fatal weakness. "Are you alright?" She asked, but received no answer. "Hang in there!"

"Hey, don't touch her, Natalia..." Luke said, looking at Natalia holding that woman's shoulders with disgust. "She's dirty and you might catch something..."

Natalia gasped and her eyes widened, Luke's words insulting her more than they did the woman. Violet snarled and glared at Luke, angered by his words.

"What is dirty?" Natalia asked, her voice darker than before but still calm, although the hint of anger in her voice was there. "What might I catch?" She turned and spoke with such a strong bite that it almost rivaled the bitter tone that Violet used when angry. "Don't say such stupid things!"

"We should help too..." Tear said, looking at Ion and Anise, who nodded, the three of them running in different directions to help.

"Alright, I will too..." Guy said, turning and running towards some of the victims, he wasn't going to sit around and do nothing.

"I'll help too!" Mieu called, flying after Guy, who nodded and continued, any help was good help.

"I've got some healing Gels in my bag..." She said, taking off her rucksack and pulling out a metal box. "These should help the victims with the gravest symptoms cling to life until we can get them out of here!"

Jade nodded and watched as Violet slung her bag onto her shoulder and ran to help some of the people who had already lost consciousness.

"Darn it..." Luke said with irritation, crossing his arms and closing his eyes as if he knew best. "Don't blame me if something happens..."

Jade looked around with a curious gleam in his eyes as he lifted his hand to stroke his chin. "That's strange..." He said, aware that Anise passed on Tokunaga, who was carrying several unconscious people to Violet, who called her over and gestured to the Gels she had. "Dorian General Grants and the vanguard are nowhere around..."

"Hey!" A man called as Violet hummed, turning from Tokunaga's full arms to see a man running towards Luke and Jade. "Are you the one's from Kimlasca?"

"Anise, take these..." Violet said, handing Anise the box of Gels. "Give them to the people who have lost consciousness..."

"Alright!" Anise said with a nod as Violet ran towards the group, along with Natalia. Luke was unsure how the answer the miner who called them, so they knew they were needed.

"Yes, we are..." Natalia said, stepping up behind Luke as she and Violet slowed to stop, now with the two members of the group that hadn't seperated from the others. "I am Natalia, Princess of Kimlasca..."

"And I am Violet Brave Moon, the Kimlasca Guardian recently knighted as such by King Ingobert the Sixth himself...We have come as a rescue party due to a request from His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Peony the Ninth..."

"We've been waiting for you..." The miner said, looking from one woman to the next as the rest of the group rejoined the princess and the others, listening to the miner's words. "I'm the supervisor of this place...I've heard about you from Dorian General Grants!"

"So where is he?" Jade asked, as Anise handed Violet the box of Gels, which she held tightly but carefully. If any of them got damaged, they would be useless.

"He went inside the mine..." The supervisor said, pointing at the entrance to a long mine that seemed to be spewing the toxic smog currently poisoning the town.

"That's where the miasma is coming from, isn't it?" Tear asked, noticing the spewing miasma as Violet coughed slightly, covering it up by clearing her throat.

Jade caught it though and his eyes narrowed.

"What shall we do?" Natalia asked looking at the Colonel, who turned his head and answered with a logical responce.

"Well...We should probably head in there as well..." Jade said, and Violet nodded, opening the metal box and checking how many Gels were left. She had used quite a few already, she should have collected more when they arrived in Kaitzur.

Luke looked from Natalia to Jade and then looked ahead with an annoyed expression, mumbling to himself. "I'm the Goodwill Ambassador, I get to decide that..."

The entire group started walking towards the mine, and Luke huffed, running ahead of them and taking the lead, basically stuffing his title down their throats as the approached the mine.

"Looks like it's this mine..." Luke said as they approached the mine shrouded in miasma. Violet gripped her chest, a small cough leaving her lips which she covered again by clearing her throat, aware that the burning sensation in her chest was increasing.

"We've been waiting for you!"

Violet hummed as she and the others stopped by the mine, seeing an Oracle Knight approach. "Excuse me..." Tear said, looking at the others before she ran over to the knight, clearly having addressed her and not the others.

"H-hey!" Luke called, but Tear ignored him as she stopped in front of the knight.

"I've received orders from Gran Maestro Mohs to guide you to what we suspect to be the Seventh Fonstone..." The knight said, saluting at the young Melodist before him.

"Good work..." She said, her tone flat and strong, like a true soldier. "Let's go right away..." She looked back at the others, who were a little confused.

Of course Jade was the one who cleared that confusion, just like he always did. "Is it your mission for the Order?" He asked and Violet's eyes went from confused to sharp, now back to normal.

Tear looked down with guilt, she didn't want to go and look at the Seventh Fonstone when there were people in Akzeriuth that needed help.

"It seems like it..." Ion said and Tear looked up at the young Fon Master. "I don't know the full details though..." Ion looked at Jade, who pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Well, it can't be helped..." Jade said, looking back up with a smile, his tone bright once more. "Then we'll go ahead ourselves..."

Tear gave Jade a bow of gratitude before she and the knight turned and ran in the opposite direction, towards something they hoped was the Seventh Fonstone.

Luke made a noise of surprise and raised his hand, a gesture for Tear to stop, but she was too far away to hear. "Where are you going?"

"She has other work to do..." Guy said, he and the others walking towards the mine once more. "Let's go..."

Luke turned to them with his arms crossed as they entered the mine one by one. "Is her work more important than saving Akzeriuth?" He asked, before running ahead and taking the lead once again.

~TotA~

The mine wasn't that long, considering the fact that the entire world collect their minerals from this one place, so it took them a total of five minutes to finally reached a dense cloud of miasma.

"As expected, the miasma is thicker here than outside..." Ion said, looking around with difficulty, like trying to look for one house in a thick fog.

How were they supposed to find Van in this?

Violet stumbled slightly and let out a few small coughs, covering her mouth as she tried to hide the burning sensations which were slowly intensifying.

"Are you sure you're alright, Violet?" Guy asked, looking back at her as she dropped her hand, squeezing her eyes shut before she opened them again, looking a little tired but still holding that sharpness. "You're looking a little pale..."

"I'm fine..." Violet said with a wavering strength, she wasn't even sure what was wrong with her. "We've got more important things to worry about than my skin tone..."

Jade glanced at Violet as she scratched her chest, lingering far too long before dropping her hand, obviously hiding some pain she felt.

What was causing her pain?

"Hey, are we going to be okay?" Luke asked, looking back and noticing that he had trouble seeing his friends and Violet, even at the close proximity. "It's full of miasma in here..."

"We should be fine as long as we don't inhale it for a long period of time..." Jade said, noticing a small hiss from Violet as she inhaled, what was she hiding? "It's likely to be worse deeper inside the mine..."

Violet lt out a stream of coughs as they continued walking, worrying the other members of the group, except Luke and Jade.

"Would you stop coughing?" Luke asked, glaring at her as she took a deep breath and dropped her hand, looking paler than before. "It's getting on my nerves!"

"I'm sorry, Master Luke..." Violet hissed with venom in her tone, irritated by both her painful chest and Luke's remarks. "I forgot I couldn't breathe without your permission!"

Luke tsked and turned, looking ahead as they kept walking. Violet coughed again, but this time it was smaller, one she didn't cover her mouth for.

She looked strained, as if her body was forcing her to keep going when all she wanted to do was sleep. What was causing this pain and exhaustion?

'Could she be allergic to the miasma?' Jade mused, looking at her as they continued, nearing an entrance to a larger room in the mine. 'It's not unheard of, and she is possessing the same symptoms, albeit they are only in the early stages...'

He stroked his chin as he thought to himself silently. 'I'll have to inspect her symptoms further and if they intensify, then I'll know for certain...'

They all entered the larger room they had spotted a little down the shaft and froze at what they saw, all around them miners lay unconscious, some possibly not breathing. The miasma was thick and stifling, there was no way they would survive long in this dense poison.

"No way..." Ion breathed as they all looked at the sight that met them, most of their faces showing horror at the sickness that surrounded them in the form of a thick smog of purple miasma.

"As we thought..." Jade said, his tone and features showing nothing but seriousness, the mark of a true soldier. "The source is probably deep in here..."

"Then, should we go further in?" Anise asked, looking at Jade as he looked around, searching for something.

"No, let us tend to these people first..." Natalia said and Violet coughed, much harder than before, covering her mouth as she did so.

"That would be best..." Jade said, turning to look at the young princess, aware that Violet's coughing was much more fierce than a moment ago. "The miasma here is especially dense..." He glanced at Violet, who finally calmed and dropped her hand. "It's dangerous..."

Everyone, but Luke nodded and ran in different directions, Violet's features warping from discomfort to determination as she went to help those who were affected.

Jade lowered his head and glanced around, the angle and fonstone light casting a shadow over his face as his expression showed his suspicion. 'Strange...' He thought to himself. 'The vanguard isn't here either...'

"Hey, Jade!" Violet called, and Jade hummed, noticing that she was beside someone who wasn't moving. "You know CPR, right? I might need you over here!"

Jade nodded and walked briskly over to her, wanting to help just as much as everyone else.

Except Luke, who did nothing but complain. "Just where _is_ Master..." The young noble mumbled, looking around for his Swords Master.

"Luke!"

Luke hummed and turned to Guy, the one who had called him. "Give me a hand!" The blonde servant called, lifting an unconscious man to rest on his arm.

"Huh? Why me?" Luke asked, an arrogant tone coating his voice, he was an asshole. "Taking care of sick people isn't the job of the goodwill ambassador!"

Violet's eyes narrowed as Jade continued to check the man over, two fingers against his throat as the Colonel felt for any signs of life.

"You..." Guy breathed, his eyes sharpening as he took in Luke's selfish words. "Do you honestly think that?"

Luke made a noise of discomfort and huffed, turning and walking away, the servant staring after him with disappointment. "Luke..." He breathed, unhappy with how Luke took this situation.

Violet looked at the man as Jade found a pulse and held his hand out for a Gel, which she gave him without a question in mind.

Right now, she wasn't thinking about her trust issues with this man or any of the group, right now the only thing she thought about was whether they would save all these people.

"He's alive..." Jade said, slipping the Gel between the man's lips, tilting his head back and watching as his throat moved, swallowing the melting substance. "This should help keep him that way for some time..."

Violet nodded and Jade stood up, taking one of the man's arms and lifting him onto his shoulder, he shook his head when she went to help, confusing her greatly. "Since I cannot control the Seventh Fonon, I cannot heal..." He explained. "Both me and Guy would be more useful if we helped carry the victims out of the mine, while you and the others heal them..."

Violet blinked before she nodded, watching as Jade turned and walked the man out of the room and into the tunnel. She had to admit, he was rather useful in serious situations.

The Kimlasca Guardian scoffed and turned back to the task at hand, taking a step forward to help the sick, like Jade said.

However she inhaled too deeply and in a split second, a shiver passed up her spine and she hunched over, holding her chest as a violet coughing fit overcame her, her hand covering her mouth as her head swam with dizziness.

"Violet, are you alright?" Guy called, on his way out of the room with an unconscious miner when he had spotted her.

Violet nodded, unable to answer and waved her hand in a shooing motion, telling him without words to continue his task.

Guy spared her a worried glance before he left, knowing that even if she was dying, she would not admit it and she would do anything in her power to save these people first.

She straightened up as the coughing subsided and inhaled deeply, not as deeply as before though, in case it caused another violent coughing fit. She felt her chest burn far more than before, as if she had swallowed something hot, scorching all down her chest.

The strong woman grimaced and ran towards another victim, crouching down and hovering her hands over him, a green Fonic Circle appearing between the miner and her palms.

~TotA~

Jade was walking back down the mine when he passed Guy, who stopped and turned to him. "Jade..." He said, watching as the Colonel stopped and looked at Guy over his shoulder.

"What's the matter, Guy?" He asked, curiosity peaked by the worry in Guy's eyes.

"Violet's coughing is getting worse, when I asked if she was alright, she couldn't even answer..." Guy explained and Jade listened intently. "Is that thing that possessed her causing this?"

"I doubt it...It didn't start until we entered the proximity of the miasma..." Jade said, thinking back to her sudden grunt when they walked down the path to Akzeriuth. "I have my theories, but until I can be certain, I won't worry you with them..."

Guy chuckled and a smile slipped onto his lips. "You never change..." He said and Jade chuckled too, his smirk reappearing as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

Jade watched as Guy turned and continued to walk the unconscious man out of the mine, then he made his way back to the group, his steps quicker.

He wanted to confirm Violet's worsening state for himself, if he had evidence of it, then he would be able to diagnose the cause of her sudden pain and illness.

~TotA~

Of course, outside things were much calmer. Several Oracle Knights stood on the top of a crater, looking down as Tear was stood by a giant fonstone covered in gold letters in the Fonic Language.

She had a hand raised, green fonons glowing around her palm as she waited for the fonstone to respond, which it usually did.

However when it didn't she hummed and her hand stopped glowing, dropping to her side as she realized what this was. "This is..." She breathed, turning and walking over to the ladders, climbing up to speak to the Oracle Knights on the surface.

"How was it?" The Head Oracle Knight asked as Tear stepped onto the higher ground and straightened up.

"We were wrong..." Tear said, looking down at the fonstone with contemplation. "That's not the Seventh Fonstone...It's not even a fonstone, it's nothing but a fake..."

Suddenly she gasped as all the Oracle Knights but the head knight drew their blades and pointed them at the young Melodist. "What's the meaning of this?!" She asked, lifting her scepter, glaring at each and every one of them with alert eyes.

"Please come with us quietly..." The head Oracle Knight said, staring at her, his face hidden by his helmet.

Tear's eyes narrowed and she prepared herself for a fight she might not win alone. However she heard a noise and turned to her left, gasping when she spotted a familiar land ship heading in their direction.

"The Tartarus!" Tear gasped, her eyes wide as the ship came closer.

What the hell was it doing here?!

~TotA~

In the mines, everything was less eventful, but still serious as everyone but Luke worked to help those who had been weakened or perhaps pushed near death by the dangerous miasma in the air.

Violet's arms trembled as she crouched beside a weak man, who was just clinging to life, her palms raised and a Fonic Circle between them and the person she was healing.

Jade was only a few feet away from her, shaking a man's shoulder, trying to get a response, when he noticed Violet's Fonic Circle flicker, only slightly, but enough to know she was becoming rather weak.

"Violet, take a break..." Jade called over as Violet finished healing the man and stood up, her whole body trembling, only slightly, her throat raw from her coughing.

"I-I'm fine..." She said, looking at Jade over her shoulder, her lilac eyes tired and her skin ashen. "I won't stop just because of a little cough!"

Jade stared at her as she hunched over and said cough returned, forcing her to cover her mouth as pain flooded through her burning chest.

He was certain that she was allergic to the miasma, and he knew that if she stayed here for too long, she wouldn't survive it.

However she was too stubborn to listen and refused to stop working, only quickening the process of her reaction.

Luke looked around at his friends as they all worked, Violet moving on to the next person that needed healing. She breathing laboured, but she didn't care.

What was he supposed to do?

"Are you okay?" Guy asked as he lifted a man by his arm, this one still conscious. "Let's get you over here..." He helped the man walk over to Violet, who finished healing someone and turned just as Guy helped the man sit down.

Guy shot her a worried look, but she gave him a cold glare as a response.

"Master!" Mieu called, flying over to Luke, who hummed and looked at the small blue Cheagle. "Won't you give us a hand, Master?"

"Shut up!" Luke roared, glaring at Mieu as he scared the poor little thing. "Just get lost!" He watched as Mieu whined, flying away with drooped ears. "Hey, let's go deeper in already!" Luke said to the others, looking at them with an irritated expression.

Jade turned his head and spoke to Luke over his shoulder. "No, we don't know what could happen..." He said, seriousness in his tone as the others continued working. "Giving them shelter comes first..."

"Damn it..." Luke breathed, looking away as Jade lifted the man he had been helping and walked him towards the three healers, having to use all his strength as the man wasn't conscious.

Ion hummed and looked up as Luke snuck away and down a tunnel that they hadn't entered from. Where was he going?

Violet stood up when she had finished healing another person and swayed on her feet, just managing to keep her balance as her breathing deepened, inhaling more miasma with each breath.

"Violet, are you sure you're okay?" Anise asked as she passed, looking at the Kimlasca Guardian with worry. "Maybe you should take one of the Gels-"

"No!"

Anise jumped back, a little startled as Violet coughed, covering her mouth only for a moment before she spoke through the fabric of her glove. "Those Gels are for the victims, I will not use them on myself..."

"Violet..." Anise said softly, surprised by her determination to save these people. Who would have thought Violet had this side to her.

"Just keep working!" Violet said, dropping her hand and turning, running over to see if there was anyone else who needed healing.

Jade turned quickly when he heard her trip and almost fall, swaying slightly on her feet. "Violet, go to Deo pass and get some fresh air, you're overdoing it and you need to rest..." He said, his tone holding a small hint of authority. She was being foolish.

"No..." Violet growled, continuing, but a little slower than before, her legs shaking with every step. "I'm fine...We don't have time to worry about my health!"

Jade stared at her for a moment before he nodded and walked over to someone who wasn't moving, crouching down and pulling his glove off to check for a pulse.

It was like she said, they didn't have time to waste. Although he was surprised to find that the weaker she was, the more determined she became.

It was like she refused to be seen as vulnerable.

~TotA~

Tear didn't know what to do now, an entire platoon of Oracle Knights surrounded her and the Tartarus had stopped some distance away.

"We do not wish to cause you harm, Lady Tear..." The Head Oracle Knight said, the only one who didn't have his sword out. "Please just listen to what we have to say..."

Tear prepared herself for a long and dangerous battle, but before she could do anything, she heard Oracle Knights cry out in pain and looked to her right, seeing them fall and get flung into the air, attacked one by one.

"What's going on?!" The Head Oracle Knight asked, turning just in time for the attacker to slice his stomach, causing him to stagger back before falling to the ground, dead.

Tear's eye widened as she stared at the attacker, it was Asch, his hair swaying slightly in the wind. "Don't go any further!" He called, not speaking to anyone in particular.

What the hell was going on? When did a simple rescue operation turn into this?!

~TotA~

It seemed the only person who wasn't busy was Luke, who was still walking down the mine shaft, hoping to spot Van in the dense miasma, much thicker here than before.

"Damn it, they're making fun of me..." Luke grumble to himself as he looked around, trying to see through the thick smog.

However suddenly he gasped and gripped his head as his body took on a gold hue and pain clouded his mind, throbbing in his skull. "Ow, again...?"

_Stop! Don't go any further!_

"Shut up!" Luke roared, rearing his head back and yelling with all he was worth, recognizing Asch's voice. "Stop it! Shut up!"

Ion, who had been following Luke, stopped when he heard the young noble screaming to himself. "Luke!" He called with shock in his tone as Luke dropped to his knees.

The young Fon Master ran up to Luke and looked down at him as he crouched there, both hands buried into his hair, pain evident on his features. "Stop it...!" Luke cried, his voice cracking under the pressure he felt being forced onto his skull.

"Luke..." Ion repeated, hoping that Luke would hear him.

"Ion, why are you here...?" Luke asked, looking up, one eye open while his face twisted with the agony he felt.

"I saw you walking away alone, so I..." Ion trailed off and changed the subject. "More importantly, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing-!" Luke started, but hissed and squeezed his eyes shut when Asch's voice echoed through his mind like he was stood next to a loud speaker.

_If you continue what you're doing, you'll regret it!_

Luke reared back and let out the loudest cry he could muster, one that he hoped would shut Asch up. "Shut up! I won't let you give me orders!"

"Luke!" Ion gasped, stepping back in shock, was Luke losing his mind?

The glow faded and Luke relaxed, taking several deep breaths to calm his heart before he stood up with a snarl on his lips and determination in his eyes.

"Are you alright, Luke?" Ion asked, but Luke just ignored him and kept walking.

'They're all making fools out of me...' Luke thought to himself, Ion following behind. 'I'll show them all, by saving Akzeriuth!'

~TotA~

Asch ran at an Oracle Knight and locked swords with the soldier, before pushing him back and slashing at him, killing him before he even hit the ground.

"That idiot!" Asch roared, turning and looking in the direction of Akzeriuth, the town they were slowly nearing.

What the hell was that reject thinking?!

~TotA~

Luke continued down the tunnel until he spotted a figure by a strange seal of sorts. It was Van! "Master!" Luke called, watching as Van turned and spotted him too.

"Luke!" Van said as Luke ran over and Ion followed behind at a much slower pace. "You're finally here..." He glanced at Ion and his smile widened slightly. "And Fon Master Ion is with you...How convenient..."

"Van..." Ion said, noticing that Van was alone and there were no others soldiers nearby. "Where's the rest of your vanguard?"

"I have them standing by somewhere else..." Van explained, a small smile on his lips. "More importantly, Fon Master, could you please open this door?" He gestured to the strange seal he was stood in front of, the same seal as the one in the Zao Ruins.

"This is a Daathic Seal..." Ion explained for Luke, who knew very little about the world. "So this place is a Sephiroth as well..." He looked up at Van again, curious about his motives. "But there's no reason to open it..."

"No..." Van said, turning from the seal and staring at Ion, explaining his motives. "It is nessisary for Akzeriuth's revival!"

"Please do it..." Luke said, forcing Ion to turn to the young noble, seeing a smile on his features, one of both admiration and trust for Van. "If you do as Master says, everything will be fine!"

"But..."

"Please, Ion!" Luke whined, his tone pleading as Ion looked down, thinking over the course of his actions, the good and the bad. "I beg you!"

Ion looked up and his eyes shined with determination. "Alright!" He said, nodding slightly. He had to believe that there was a way to save this town.

"Great!" Luke called, excitement covering his features, none of them aware of the small narrowing of Van's eyes.

Ion turned towards him and walked over to the seal, placing his scepter on the ground beside him. He raised his hands and a complicated set of Fonic Circles appear, the seal glowing as they unlocked one by one, before both the circles and the seal faded away, an entrance in it's place.

"Alright!" Luke exclaimed with joy as he ran to Van's side.

"Let's go..." Van said, a triumphant smile curving his lips. He turned and walked ahead, Luke taking a step to follow when the same headache as before took over again.

_Stop! Don't go! Do you intend to destroy Akzeriuth?!_

"What are you talking about?!" Luke asked, opening an eye. "I'm just going to neutralize the miasma!"

_You're being deceived!_

"Shut up!"

"Luke, what are you doing?" Van asked, turning just in time for the glowing to stop, his features serious.

Luke looked at his Swords Master with his hand still against his head. "Ah, sorry..." He said, Van's features twisting into another smile.

"Now you'll be able to neautralize the miasma with your power..." Van said, his tone strong, confident in his student's abilities.

"Neutralize the miasma?" Ion gasped, repeating Van's words as he looked up at the leader of the God-Generals. "Is that even possible?"

"It is!" Luke said, as he pointed at his face with his thumb, an arrogant smile lighting his features. "That's because I'm a hero!"

Ion blinked and looked at Luke with confusion. Would this really save Akzeriuth?

Neither Luke nor Ion knew the foolishness of their actions.

~TotA~

Meanwhile in another part of the mine, the rescue party were still working, each and every one of them still trying to save those left behind.

Natalia and Guy were doing their parts, Natalia healing a fallen man and Guy lifting another to walk him from the mine.

Anise was watching from a distance, only several Gels left, waiting for someone to need them, unsure how else to help since she wasn't a Seventh Fonist.

Violet was crouched down beside an unconscious miner, his arm having a large gash from elbow to shoulder in need of healing. She raised her palms and a Fonic Circle appeared between them and the cut on the man's arm.

Jade, who had been checking on another man, this one still conscious, noticed that Violet was breathing rather deeply and turned in time to see her Fonic Circle flicker and fade away, her hands slamming into the dirt ground beneath her as she took deep breaths, panting with exhaustion.

"Violet, go to Deo Pass and get some fresh air..." Jade called over, looking at Anise, who nodded and picked up the Gels, taking his place at the side of the man as Jade stood up and walked over to Violet. "You're nothing but a burden if you can't help us..."

"I-I'm fine!" Violet gasped as Jade crouched down and inspected the gash on the man's arm, having to use his medical skills since Violet's healing artes had failed and Natalia was currently occupied with helping someone else.

Jade looked at her for a moment, her skin was too pale and her eyes had dark circles beneath them, she was exhausted, from here she looked like she hadn't slept in a month.

"It's terrible!" A voice rang out and the entire rescue party turned to see the supervisor running in, pointing in the direction he had just came from. "The surface! Oracle Knights are on the surface!"

Jade stood up and looked at the supervisor with his mouth opened slightly, surprised by these words. Were the Oracle Knights after Ion again?

"Dammit!" Violet hissed, getting to her feet and taking off in a sprint.

"Everyone, keep working!" Jade said to the others, before he too took off towards the surface, catching up with Violet and running in step with her.

However suddenly Violet gasped and tripped, landing hard onto her stomach as she gripped her hair, hissing with pain.

"Violet!" Jade shouted, stopping and turning as she got to her knees, her cheek grazed and her arms in the same condition as she buried her fingers into her scalp. "Violet, what's wrong?!"

"M-my head...!" Violet cried out, slamming one hand into the dirt, digging ip up with her fingers as the pain became unbearable, like someone was ripping her skull in half.

Jade's eyes narrowed as he realized this was the same pain as before, this was the fifth time this had happened and last time another mind had take over her consciousness.

Was it going to happen again?

Suddenly Violet let out a sharp cry and reared back, her eyes squeezed shut as wave after wave or torturous agony tore through her mind.

_I...Have...Made contact!_

Suddenly Violet's hand dropped and her features softened, but she did not stand up or move for several moments, Jade watching her cautiously, incase he would have to act.

Slowly Violet's back straightened up and she opened her eyes, no longer dark lilac, but blood red and colder than they had ever been before.

Jade's eyes turned suspicious as he watched the body that controlled Violet, alert for any signs of danger, any signs that she was out to kill.

Violet raised her hands and stared at her palms, clenching and unclenching her fists as she got a feel for the movement of her body. "_It was a success...I'm sorry I had to use such drastic measures, Violet..._" She said, placing one hand on the ground and carefully getting to her feet.

Jade didn't make a single sound as Violet shifted from one foot to another, checking her balance before she hummed and looked up, spotting the Colonel who eyed her with alert caution.

"_You must be Colonel Jade Curtiss..._" Violet said, her normal voice an undertone to this deeper octave. "_I believe you have questions?_"

"Yes..." Jade said, his features serious as he pushed his glasses up his nose, his finger remaining on the band as he spoke. "Several questions in fact..."

Violet nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly. "_My apologies for the way I have been taking over Violet's body...However you must believe that I have no malicious intentions..._"

"I only have your word for it..."

"_Right now, that is all I can give you..._" Violet said, crossing her arms. "_All I ask is that you do not judge me without reason...I am here to help..._"

"Since you're inhabiting the body of the person I am responsible for, I cannot do anything to stop you..." Jade said, crossing his arms as well, both hands on his elbows. "However I do ask that you refrain from harming anyone, Violet already has enough on her criminal record without you adding to it..."

Violet chuckled, her deeper voice making it a haunting sound, like she wasn't really alive. "_I accept this condition..._" She said, then looked in the direction they had been heading in just moments ago. "_Now, we must hurry...I haven't got much time and Violet's weakened state is slowly getting worse..._"

Jade mulled over the situation and saw no other choice, nodding his head he quickly turned and the two of them ran down the tunnel, hoping their small conversation hadn't stalled them for too long.

~TotA~

"Wow...!" Luke gasped as he looked around in awe at the large room the entrance had led to. A long series of Fonons created a solid, glass-like path, which weaved around a large fon machine with a fonstone core, pulsating with both memory particles and Seventh Fonons.

It was just so beautiful.

"What's that?" Luke asked, looking at the large fon machine. Was this a Sephiroth?

"Luke, walk towards that fon machine, the Passage Ring, and concentrate..." Van said, looking at Luke, who seemed rather confident.

"Yes, sir!" The goodwill ambassador stepped forward, continuing until he neared the end of the path, ready to become a hero and earn back his freedom.

"Will this really be alright?" Ion asked, looking up at Van who refused to give an answer, unnerving the young Fon Master.

Was this really going to work?

Luke raised his hand and pointed his palm at the machine called the Passage Ring, holding his wrist as his body glowed and he concentrated on what he had to do, eyes closing as he did so.

This was the day he would become a hero. This was his shining moment in life!

~TotA~

Jade and Violet stopped as the finally left the mine, Tear fighting Oracle Knights right in front of their eyes. "This is..." Jade breathed as Tear swung her scepter out and killed another enemy who dropped to the ground, dead.

"Colonel!" Tear called, running over, stopping when she saw Violet's eyes were burning a vibrant red once more. "Wh-what...?"

"_I apologize for my actions the last time we met..._" Violet said, looking at Tear with seriousness in those haunted eyes. "_I am not here to cause harm...I know my word is all I can give, however it is all you have, you must trust it!_"

"Although I still doubt her words..." Jade said, glancing at Violet who looked like she was more concerned with something else than whether they trusted her or not. "We have no choice but to listen until she releases Violet's consciousness..."

Tear nodded and Violet accepted Jade's words, agreeing that this was the closest she would get to gaining their trust. She was nothing more than a parasite at this point, and she knew that reason alone would not make it easy.

"What in the world is going on?" Jade asked, looking back at Tear who looked rather anxious, as if she knew something awful.

"The vanguard has been exterminated!" Tear said, her voice holding an urgency that unnerved both Jade and Violet. "The Oracle Knights ambushed them!"

"What did you say?" Jade gasped, surprised to hear this, were they after Fon Master Ion again?

"It was a trap, a trap to lure me away..."

"Why you?"

"It was my brother!" Tear said, her tone full of venom at this point. "He doesn't want me to get involved!" Jade's entire body trembled slightly as his features slowly warped into shocking realization, his eyes wide, his lips parted and his teeth locked as he listened to Tear's words. "He's planning to do something terrible!"

"Hey!" A voice called and Jade hummed, Violet's eyes narrowing as she, Tear and the Colonel watched Asch run past. "If you have time to stand around talking, then do something about that dreck! Or we're all going to die!"

"Asch!" Jade gasped as Asch ran into the mine, Violet cursed as she grabbed the helm of her sword, ready to follow.

"He told me all about it!" Tear said, making Violet turn her head to look at her. "My brother...My brother...! He intends to destroy Akzeriuth!"

Violet tsked and turned, pulling out her sword and kicking off into a sprint, following Asch's example and running towards the mines.

"Violet!" Jade called, both he and Tear taking off after her. "We don't know what she's capable of without her conscious mind, let's hurry!" Jade said to the young Oracle Knight at his side.

"Yes! We have to stop my brother!"

~TotA~

Of course in the Sephiroth, Luke was stood concentrating on his hyperresonance, unaware of the stress he was putting on the Passage Ring.

Ion gasped as the fon machine crackled, sparks flying off of it as Luke's power damaged it slowly. "Something is wrong!" Ion said, looking at Van, who didn't even glance in his direction. "This is dangerous Van, let's stop!"

"Good, keep focusing..." Van said, completely ignoring Ion's words.

"Van!"

When the Passage Ring began to glow, that's when Van showed his true colors, a twisted smirk curling his lips as he spoke with a tone of cruelty. "'Foolish Replica Luke,' unleash your power..."

Luke gasped and his eyes snapped open, a powerful torrent of Fonons shooting from his body and slamming into the Passage Ring, Van watching with that twisted smile.

A smile of sick triumph.

Ion tried to fight the winds, but gasped as he was tossed back, slamming hard into a wall, unconscious before he even hit the floor.

'S-something inside me is...' Luke thought to himself, unable to move, unable to speak.

_Luke stood before the large gaping hole he had left in the side of the boat's barrier, staring at it with wide eyes, only just aware of his Swords Master's voice._

_"Luke..." Van said, placing his hand on Luke's shoulder and one on his arm as the young noble took deep, calming breaths. "Listen closely to my voice..."_

_Van walked around Luke and stood in front of him, lifting his palm and placing it over Luke's face, speaking calmly. "Focus your powers, like that...When I order you, you will open all of your Fon Slots and cause a hyperresonance..."_

_Van leaned forward and spoke quietly in Luke's ear, so no one else caught wind of what he was about to say. "The trigger phrase is...'Foolish Replica Luke'..."_

Something in Luke sparked and he made a choked noise of shock, his entire body glowing much brighter as the Passage Ring's glow faded and the machine splintered, exploding into nothing more than particles before fading away completely, not a trace left behind.

Luke stared out at the empty Sephiroth with wide eyes, his entire body shaking as he slowly dropped to his knees, barely any energy left.

Van stepped forward, his eyes cold and his expression one of malice and trickery. "You were finally of use, Replica..." He said, his voice filled with cruel joy, like he was happy he had done such a thing.

"M-Master..." Luke breathed, looking up at Van, his vision blurring before he swayed and fell, landing on his side, no longer conscious.

"_The One Who Would Seize Glory!_"

Van hummed and looked up to see both Violet and Asch enter the Sephiroth, running towards the edge of the higher path, determination in their eyes.

"Damn!" Asch cursed as he looked down at the scene before him, both Luke and Ion unconscious and the Passage Ring no longer operational. "We didn't make it!"

Violet stared at the blank area, her eyes narrowing and her expression turning to one of digust. Even now, after taking control of this body, she hadn't made it in time.

"Asch, I told you not to come here!" Van called up, not really caring that Violet was there as well, she was nothing but a pawn to get the others to trust him more, he no longer had a need for her.

"Well, too bad!" Asch shouted down, his eyes showing his hatred for the man at this moment. "That sister you tried to save is here as well!"

Van made a noise of shock and turned, whistling with two fingers. Two large brown Griffins flew towards them with haste, listening to the whistle from the one they served.

Violet gasped and jumped back as Asch was snatched up by one of the Griffins. "Damn it, let me go!" Asch roared, thrashing against the grip of the Griffin.

The Kimlasca Guardian turned to Van and spoke with a power in her voice, one that held more authority than she could normally muster. "_I will not allow you to escape!_"

Violet closed her eyes as a Fonic Circle appeared beneath her feet, her hair rising with the power that came from it. "_Oh mighty explosion...Energy-_"

However she never got a chance to finish as another Fonic arte hit her square in the chest, making her cough up blood as she was flung onto a much higher ledge, unconscious before she even hit the wall.

"Violet!" Asch called as the former Swords Master dropped onto her stomach, unmoving, aside from the small spasms of shock that crashed into her body like waves, causing it to twitch.

"I had intended to save Ion..."Van said, sitting on the top of the other Griffin as he looked down at Asch, who was still struggling against the grip of the flying monster. "But I can't afford to lose you here..."

"Brother!"

Van looked down as Tear and the others entered the Sephiroth, all of them alert and ready for anything that met them.

"Luke!" Guy called, spotting the unconscious Luke at the end of the pathway to the non-existent Passage Ring.

"Master Ion!" Anise cried out, spotting the Fon Master in the same state only a few feet away.

"Master!" Mieu called as Natalia, Anise, and Guy ran down the pathway towards their unmoving friends, determination in each of their eyes.

Jade looked around, his gaze quick and calculating. Violet was not with the others, so she must have been around here somewhere. After all, she had gone on ahead of them, she should be here.

"You betrayed me!" Tear called up to Van, hurt in her tone and anger in her expression. "Didn't you tell me you were going to preserve the Outer Lands?!"

"The Outer Lands?" Jade repeated, confused by the term. He had never heard of it before, what did she mean by the 'Outer Lands?'

"Mystearica..." Van said, his tone strong, not affected by his sister's words. "You will eventually come to see the folly and ugliness of this world...Live on until you understand that...You have the Fonic Hymns...use them!"

Then the Griffins wings beat against the air with hard power, Tear called to Van once more as he took off into the air, Asch following behind.

Suddenly Jade shielded his eyes with his arm just above them, aware that debris was falling as it covered the entrance, blocking their escape. "This is bad! The tunnel is...!"

He gasped as he spotted something on a crumbling glass ledge, the blackness below showing their fate. "Violet!" He called, turning just as the others returned.

Tear gasped and turned too as she also spotted Violet, who was just beginning to feel her mind awaken again.

Violet groaned and opened her eyes slowly, now their usual dark lilac. "Wh...What...?" She breathed, blinking several times to clear her vision. She could feel vibrations beneath her and looked down.

All too suddenly a shiver rocketed up her spine and she got to her feet, pressing herself into the wall as she looked down at the black abyss below, noting that the ledge was crumbling.

Jade tsked and ran forward as Violet let out a terrified scream, pulling her feet closer to the wall when the ledge crumbled further.

"Violet!"

Violet hummed and lifted her head slightly, spotting Jade a few feet away, at the edge of another ledge, that one also crumbling. "J-Jade!" She called, shaking like a leaf as she looked down, too scared to care if she sounded vulnerable. "I'm going to fall!"

"No you're not!" Jade shouted over, looking around for anything he could use to get to her. When he found nothing he resorted to the next best thing. "Violet, you're going to have to listen to me very carefully!"

"I am, you asshole! I don't want to die!"

Jade nodded and his eyes narrowed with determination. He would have to time this perfectly. "Violet, you're going to have to jump!"

"Are you high?!"

"Listen to me! If you don't jump, you're going to fall, at least if you jump you have a chance of making it over here!"

Violet opened her mouth to argue, but shrieked when a bit of the ledge crumbled further, not much left between her and the wall. "Th-that's too far! If I jump, I'll die!"

"No you won't, I'm going to catch you!" Jade opened his arms as proof. "You are under my protection, I won't let you die!"

"What?!" Violet called, distrust in her eyes as she glanced from the awaiting arms to the blackness below. "I-I..."

"Apologies, however just this once you have to trust what I am saying!" Jade's tone was demanding, he wouldn't allow her foolish distrust of the military to kill her. "Jump!"

Violet swallowed hard and steeled herself, seeing no other choice. "A-alright!" She said, nodding as she arched her back and kicked off from the wall.

However just as she was about to jump, the ledge gave way under her weight and she felt her stomach lurch as she fell, screaming.

"Violet!" Jade shouted, quickly sprinting forward towards her, she might just make it to the ledge and he needed to make sure he caught her, otherwise she would most likely die on impact.

Jade opened his arms as Violet got close and grunted when she slammed into his chest, knocking them both to the ground under the sheer force.

Neither of them moved until the shock of the impact left their system, then Violet shot up in a flash, followed by Jade who got to his feet and adjusted his glasses. "Tear, your hymns, now!" He called and Tear nodded, running over to them.

"Everyone!" She said, watching as Guy ran with Luke against his back, Anise and Natalia carrying Ion between them. "Gather around me, quickly!"

Once everyone was near Tear, she sang a hymn she had never used before and a crystallized barrier surrounded them just as the tremors intensified and the entire ceiling above them began to collapse, the ground beneath them cracking before it too shattered, sending them hurtling down into the abyss below.

Akzeriuth above them was surrounded by a purple light before an explosion lit up the sky and covered the entire area of the mining town, shattering it into fragments, which followed the group into the darkness.

The only thing that could be seen in the purple smog and the crumbling ground, was a small flicker of light.

~TotA~

Silence stretched through the air as Jade made a noise of pain, his eyelids tightening before they relaxed and slowly opened, blurred by his unconscious state.

Jade blinked and looked around, noting that he was alive and that they were in a strange place, mud and miasma taking the place of the ocean, the clouds above purple and dark, like storm clouds, small bursts of thunder and flashes of lighting coming from their murky, sickly shapes.

The Colonel slowly sat up, hissing and gripping his left arm as he felt a small wave of pain, realizing that he had landed on that arm, and it was going through a state of shock.

He heard a gasp and looked up, Violet had regained consciousness and was slowly getting to her hands and knees, shaking with blood trickling down her lip, the right side of her head bleeding too.

"Wh-what happened...?" She asked, confused as she blink, groaning and pressing her hand to her head, unable to remember anything.

"I don't understand myself..." Jade said, making her jump as he slowly got to his feet, hunched slightly as he kept his grip on his injured arm. "However we survived, that's all that matters right now..."

Violet nodded and pushed herself up until she got to her feet, noting that her left leg was spasming and it hurt a lot. She looked around, feeling horror sweep through her at the sight she was met with.

They were in a dark and desolate area and all around her were the corpses of the people she had been sent to save. Her mission was a failure.

Akzeriuth was no more.

"Come on, we have to wake the others, if they are still alive that is..." Jade said, taking note that the Tartarus was standing by, ready for use.

What a robust ship.

Violet nodded and the two of them went around waking the others, the only one's left to wake were Luke, Ion and Tear. "Tear..." Jade called, looking down at her as Guy picked Luke up again and both Natalia and Anise held the Fon Master upright, Anise holding his scepter too.

"Tear!" Jade called again, watching as Tear slowly opened her eyes and carefully pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Are you alright?"

"Yes..." Tear said, then she gasped and looked up, being met with the same sight that the others had woken up to, the same sense of horror sweeping through her.

"Let's board the Tartarus..." Jade said, looking over at the ship resting in the purple sludge that made up the sea. "The emergency buoy is operational...It should be able to stay above this mud..."

Tear looked in the same direction as Jade and spotted the Tartarus, surprised that it had survived the fall. "The Tartarus..."

"I believe we should all check our injuries too..." Jade said, glancing at the others, each and every one of them had some small injuries, Tear had scrapes up her arm, Anise was standing with her weight mostly on one leg, Natalia was hunched too far to be normal, Guy's right arm was shaking and Violet had cuts along her face, and she too had a strange shaking limb that needed inspection.

Tear nodded and slowly got to her feet, holding her scraped arm as she and the others slowly made their way towards the Tartarus, Violet's coughing not as harsh as before due to the fresh air she had gotten in the Sephiroth.

~TotA~

Violet sat outside the med bay, her eyes cast down to the floor below, disappointment flowing through them. The gravity of what had happened taking effect now that she and the others were slowly sailing away from the remains of Akzeriuth.

She had failed in her mission, she had been sent to save lives and instead those lives had been taken before she could even blink.

She couldn't even remember what had happened, what sort of guardian was she if she didn't save the people she was responsible for?

Violet inhaled deeply, she felt numb, unsure what to think, feel, or do. She hadn't felt this way in a long time and didn't know how to deal with it.

"Violet?"

The Kimlasca Guardian hummed and looked up just as Jade opened the door, Guy leaving the room, rolling his shoulder as he did so, his arm fully healed. "I believe you're the last one?"

"I don't see why you're doing this..." Violet said as she slowly got to her feet, one leg trembling like someone had zapped it with a weak Fonic Arte. "I'm fine..."

Jade watched as she walked into the room, trying her best not to limp on her spasming leg. "Apologies, however it is routine, if you had some sort of internal injury and died, I would be held responsible..."

"Oh you're all heart..."

"Tear, would you please wait outside until I call you in?" Jade asked, looking at Tear, who didn't respond at first. "Tear?"

Tear hummed and looked up, noticing that Jade was looking at her, then his words clicked and she nodded, standing and leaving without a word.

"So you're a doctor too?" Violet asked, staring up at the ceiling as Jade tugged the fingers of his military gloves, slipping the long accessories off before picking up a pair of latex gloves and pulling them on.

Jade chuckled at her slight wince when he snapped them in place.

Asshole.

"Yes, I have had some training in the field..." Jade explained, walking over and taking a small torch, lit by a tiny fonstone. "Look at the light..." He ordered and she did just that, hating this as he shined it in her eyes, taking in the size of her pupils. "There doesn't seem to be any sort of concussion or fatal repercussions to your head injury..."

"Great..." Violet mumbled as Jade examined her features carefully, her eyes, her skin tone, and her exhaustion. "What are you looking for now?" Irritation leaked into her tone, she just wanted to get out of here, she didn't like feeling this vulnerable.

"Your body isn't as strong against the miasma as everyone else's, I'm just checking the leftover effects of your symptoms so I can make a firm diagnosis..."

"You're qualified to do that? What kind of doctor are you?"

"I specialize in autopsies, however I must know the different medical ailments to fully diagnose the cause of death..."

"Oh great, I'm being examined by a coroner..." Violet said, grimacing. Life couldn't get any worse at this moment. "Who's also a Necromancer..."

Jade chuckled and straightened up, placing his arms behind his back. "I was correct in assuming it was the miasma causing your exhaustion..." He said, Violet glanced at him before looking back up at the ceiling, listening to his diagnosis. "Your body's immune system is weaker when inhaling miasma because you have an allergy to the natural chemical compound the poison is composed of..."

"So I'm allergic to the miasma?"

"Yes...I suggest until all the symptoms vanish, you refrain from going outside, and if you do so once the symptoms are gone, only go out for perhaps two hours at a time..."

Violet groaned and ran her fingers through her fringe, jumping slightly when she felt Jade's fingers on her leg, examining the shaking muscles beneath the skin. "Great, not only are my Mystic Artes life threatening, but now the miasma is too..." She concluded.

Life hated her. Simple as that.

"I believe you have it simple compared to some others..." Jade said, making her scoff as he flexed her leg, testing the muscle strength. "Your leg is slightly too weak, possibly due to the shock of impact..."

"How do I have it simple compared to others?"

"I've heard of some cases where if they inhaled only a small amount of miasma, they would die without any chance of survival..." Jade explained, and noted that Violet grimaced. "I would say your allergy is at level two, you feel the effects, but it's only fatal after some time..."

Violet let out a soft groan, closing her eyes as Jade walked away from her and pulled off the latex gloves, replacing them with his normal gloves. "I'll call Tear in to heal your leg..."

This slapped a nerve as Violet quickly sat up and glared at Jade, her cold attitude returning. Her emotions must have been strung tight, she was civil one moment and stubborn the next.

"I'm fine..." She said, her voice containing ice as she turned and sat on the edge of the table. "I don't need healing because of a shaky leg..."

"Your attitude towards others healing you is foolish..." Jade said, turning to her and folding his arms behind his back, his expression serious and scolding. "One day you will have to rely on someone else's help to save your life..."

"I'd rather die..." Violet ground out, her voice holding venom as she glared at Jade, she felt guilt for her words, due to the fact that he had actually saved her life, but she would not shake her resolve.

She wasn't weak, she would not allow others to treat her as if she were.

"I know that isn't true..." Jade said, narrowing his eyes as he analyzed her reaction. She had never spoken so strongly before. "Otherwise you would have fallen into the darkness and died...Instead you decided to put your faith in my words and jumped..."

"I fell!"

"However you had moved to jump..." Jade pushed his glasses up his nose, his finger pressed against the band as he closed his eyes. "I do not understand this distrust of anyone who you don't deem your friends or family, although I have a feeling the cause of this is hidden in the reason for your crimes..."

Jade removed his finger from the band of the glasses and crossed his arms. "However be cautious of your own attitude, what you might deem your strongest trait, could end up being your downfall..."

Violet didn't answer, she didn't care what Jade was saying. She would never trust anyone. She hadn't for nine years, and she would continue this way for the rest of her life.

"I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to answer truthfully without any snide remarks..." Violet said, Jade's eyes narrowing as he listened to her words. "I remember collapsing in the tunnels and waking up on that strange ledge...But how did I get there?"

Jade stared at her for a moment as he pondered an answer he could give in place of the truth. He could not tell her without the high chance that her sanity would suffer.

Akzeriuth had just been decimated, if she were to find out the trust after such a horrifying incident, even she would feel her emotions tip just too far for her mind to cope with.

"I carried you..." Jade explained, his features stoic and his voice holding no waver, lying smoothly with no guilt. "You managed to regain consciousness and foolishly tried to attack Van..."

"So he attacked me back?" Violet asked, taking in his words, choosing to trust them, only because she had no other way of replacing the blank space in her mind otherwise. "And that's how I ended up on that ledge?"

"Precisely, depending on the amount of time you were conscious, it is possible you were knocked out again too soon for your brain to wake up fully, resulting in a lack of memories..."

"Alright..." Violet said, then glared sharply at Jade. "If I find out that you've been lying to me, I won't regret the actions I will take!" She said, sliding off the table and straightening up. "I don't trust you, but right now your word is all I have..."

Jade watched as Violet closed her eyes and walked past him, leaving the room before he could say anything else.

He would have to inform the others of his cover story so that she didn't find out the truth. Not even she deserved to suffer with the thought of another taking over her mind at any moment.

It would just end up killing her.

~TotA~

Violet stepped into her room after ten minutes of walking, not able to relax just yet, her nerves were tingling and for some reason, she still felt a strange emptiness.

She hadn't felt this way for a long time, not since...

"Marko..." She breathed, making a noise of anger as she pulled her rucksack off her shoulders and tossed it on the bed, kicking the door shut behind her. "Dammit!"

She walked over to the bed and sat down, staring at her hands as they shook, showing just how weak she was. The numbness hadn't faded and she felt empty, emotion bubbling under the surface.

She wouldn't let it out, if it meant feeling numb, then she would feel numb. She would not allow herself to show weakness.

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, disappointed in her own turmoil of emotions. "Dammit those idiots are making me soft!" She snarled squeezing her eyes shut.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and she gasped, her cold expression returning as she stood up and walked over to the door, raising a hand to open it.

However she faltered, noting that her fingers were trembling, and clenched her fist before opening the door and stepping back.

It was Guy who stood on the other side, his features solemn, grieving. "Hey..." He said, not even trying to smile. "We're all going outside for a bit, get a feel for where we are...Are you coming?"

"Of course..." She said, walking out of the room and closing the door. "On the way there, you can explain exactly what happened while I was unconscious..."

Guy nodded and the two of them walked to the deck, Guy explaining Van's malicious intentions.

~TotA~

Violet and the others, minus Jade and Luke, were all stood on the deck of the ship, each of them mourning Akzeriuth. Even Violet, who had both hands on the barrier of the ship, staring out at the miasma filled sea as she thought of those who had died.

She did not show any emotion on her face, that cold frown still fixed on her features, but inside she wanted to find Van and make him pay for what he had done. Anger slowly brewing below the surface, rising higher and higher with each second she thought of what he had done.

She would avenge all those who had fallen, the ones who had died when they were meant to be saved.

"Ah, It's Master!" Mieu called and everyone turned to see the young noble walking towards them, everyone but Violet, who only listened, still staring at the sickening purple sludge. "Tear, Master is awake!"

"What the hell happened?" Luke asked, looking at them with a confused expression, completely different to the solemn frowns they wore. "Where are we?"

"We fell from up there, apparently..." Anise informed Luke, pointing up at the stormy purple clouds above, her tone soft and sad.

"Huh?"

"We landed on some fallen land and boarded this ship which was floating nearby..." Natalia continued, her tone just as soft as Anise's.

"We're the only ones who survived..." Guy said, and Violet made a noise of soft anger, gripping the barrier tighter as her eyes narrowed. "If it weren't for Tear's Fonic Hymn, we would have been..." He trailed off, knowing it was pointless to say what everyone already knew.

Footsteps approached and Jade's voice filled the air. "It appears the engine is still operational..." He said, almost everyone turning to look at him. "But without the proper repairs, it likely won't run for long..."

"That's alright..." Tear said, her tone serious, just like Jade's, the mark of a true soldier. "If we head west, we should reach a place called Yulia City...We should at least be able to get that far..."

"Wait a minute!" Luke called, getting everyone's attention, even Violet, who was listening intently, still looking out at the horrible view, her hair fluttering in the wind. "What are you talking about? I didn't understand a thing you just said!"

Jade pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at Tear, questioning in those crimson eyes. "I believe it's about time you explained things to us..."

Tear nodded and looked up at the sky, that sickly shade of purple tinting the entire world that same shade. "This part of the world is called the Qliphoth..."

"The Qliphoth?" Anise repeated, tilting her head to the side as she absorbed those words.

"The part of the world where you all live in is called the Outer Lands..."

Ion took over and Tear glanced at him as he spoke, his head low and a frown on his features. "The Outler Lands is a floating land in the sky, supported by pillars known as Sephiroth Trees, that rise from the Qliphoth..."

"I do not..." Natalia started, stepping forward, shocked with what she was hearing. "Understand what you mean..."

"Long ago, the Outer Lands were here in the Qliphoth..." Ion said and Violet's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Two thousand years ago, a miasma of an unknown origin invaded Auldrant and contaminated the atmosphere...In order to escape from destruction, Yulia read the Score and made a plan to raise the land using the Sephiroth..."

"And that became..." Guy stared, pushing off from the wall, trying to make sense of this barrage of information. "The Outer Lands..."

"So the land on which we live is in fact floating in the sky?" Natalia asked, processing what she had heard. "Unbelievable!"

"The only ones who know are those of the maestro rank and above in the Order of Lorelei, and..." Ion said, pausing and looking at Tear before he continued. "The inhabitants of the Qliphoth..."

"Then you're from the Qliphoth, Tear...?" Anise asked, getting a stiff nod as a response.

"But how did this happen?" Jade asked, the events of the day replaying in his mind. "You said Akzeriuth was supported by a pillar, correct?"

"Well..." Ion started unsure how to say this without upsetting the others. In the end he just decided to say it. "The pillar was destroyed..."

Violet growled and his lips curled back into a snarl, a question leaving her lips as her anger boiled, quickly escalating. "How was it destroyed?"

Tear's eyes, which had been directed at the floor, slowly looked up at Luke. Everyone followed suit and Violet turned, following their gaze, her eyes sharper than ever before.

"I-I don't know anything about it!" Luke stammered, stepping back and placing his hand on his chest, trying to defend himself. "I just tried to get rid of the miasma!" He thrust out his hand, his tone strengthening as excuse after excuse left his lips. "He said that if I used my hyperresonance there, the miasma would disappear!"

"my brother deceived you..." Tear said, none of them aware that Violet's anger was boiling, slowly rising higher, threatening to take her self-control with it. "And you destroyed the pillar that was supporting Akzeriuth..."

"No way..." Luke breathed, taking several steps back. "I couldn't have..."

"Unfortunately that's what happened..." Ion said and Violet's hands trembled, her anger slowly being directed at one individual. "The pillars are produced by the Passage Rings...And Luke's hyperresonance destroyed that Passage Ring...I was careless...I didn't realize that was Van's intent..."

"Master Ion..." Anise breathed, looking at Ion with sympathy, she didn't like how he was blaming himself.

"I wish Luke would have at least talked to us about it beforehand..." Jade said, looking at Luke for a moment before directing his eyes to the floor. "Neutralizing the miasma could have waited until the residents were evacuated..."

"That's true..." Natalia said, looking down as well as she placed a hand on her chest. "Akzeriuth disappeared in an instant, along with thousands of lives..."

Violet's breathing was becoming labored, her eyes sharp as daggers as she gripped the bar with so much force her fingers hurt.

"A-are you saying this is my fault?" Luke asked, a relieved smile on his lips as he shifted the blame to someone else. "But Master told me...He said I would become a hero if I did that! Right...Master told me to do it...It's not my fault!"

Jade closed his eyes and pushed his glasses up his nose, his face serious, sick and tired of this boy's excuses. "I'm returning to the bridge..." He said, his tone cold and unforgiving as he walked passed Luke. "If I stay here, I'll just get irritated by some ridiculous ranting..."

"What?" Luke ground out, turning and roaring at Jade, who didn't even look back. "I was trying to save Akzeriuth!"

"You've changed so much..." Natalia said looking at Luke with a mix of disappointment and sorrow. "Ever since you lost your memories, you've been like a completely different person..." She closed her eyes and walked passed Luke, also turning her back on the young noble.

"You guys..." Luke breathed, Violet's body hunched as she fought with her self control, a strong, viscous anger just under her skin. "You guys couldn't do anything either!"

Something snapped, something Violet hadn't lost control of in nine years. She inhaled sharply and turned with sudden, dangerous movements, her cape flowing behind her. "You..." She snarled, her tone bitterly cold as everyone turned to her with shock. Jade stopped just before he entered the Tartarus and turned too.

Everyone's eyes widened as she grabbed the helm of her sword and pulled it from the sheathe, her eyes dark, angry, and out of control. "You little bastard!" She roared, kicking off towards Luke, who stepped back in fear.

"Violet!" Jade called, running towards her as the others stepped forward, but faltered, unsure what to do, Violet looked savage, she looked ready to kill without a thought to the repercussions.

She looked like a murderer.

Violet lifted her sword above her head and swung down. Luke made a noise of fear and squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for death.

However it never came.

He hummed and opened his eyes to see the sword inches from slicing his face open, trembling in the hands of the person who had almost killed him.

She stared at the sword, her eyes wide and her features blank, unsure what to do, memories of the one other time she had snapped coursing through her mind, making her hiss and toss her sword away in disgust.

They all watched as Violet turned and quickly walked away, her steps echoing against the metal flooring before she entered the ship once more, not a word from her.

"P-psychopath!" Luke called, then turned to the others, Jade walking over to the discarded sword and picking it up, carefully inspecting it for damage before he followed Violet into the Tartarus.

Anise gave Luke a look of disgust and turned to Ion, who didn't even look Luke in the eye. "Master Ion, let's just go and leave that loser alone..."

The young Fon Master Guardian took Ion's arm and started walking away, Ion following behind, a shadow cast over his eyes, guilt and regret seeping into their hidden depths.

Luke's body trembled as he realized that Anise was also blaming him for what had happened. "It's all Master's fault!It's not mine!" He turned to Guy with a nervous smile. "Right, Guy?"

"Luke..." Guy said softly, closing his eyes and speaking with a tone that showed just how disapointed he was. "Don't make me think even less of you..."

Luke gasped and froze up in shock as Guy passed him, not even sparing his master a glance as he entered the ship, another who blamed him for what had happened.

Tear walked into Luke's line of sight and he instantly felt relief. "Ah, Tear-"

"And I thought..." Tear interrupted, looking away with a frown, regretting her own belief in him. "I thought you atleast had some good in you..."

Luke's entire body went rigid and he trembled softly as Tear walked past him, everything felt like it was slowing down, none of it felt real.

He was alone.

"M-Master!" Mieu called, flying over to the boy who's head was low and his cheeks flushed slightly, a sign that tears were soon to follow. "I understand how you feel, Master...I caused trouble for my friends in the forest too...So-"

"Shut up!" Luke roared, frightening the young Cheagle as his voice cracked, sorrow filling him. "Don't compare me to you!" He dropped to his knees as the first sob left him, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Don't compare me to..."

Mieu's ears drooped at the sound of his master's tears and whimpered softly. "Master..."

~TotA~

Violet sat on the bed in her cabin, her fingers trembling, the hair of her fringe woven between each of the elegant digits, her body shaking as she fought back the undeniable anger she felt.

No longer was she numb, no, now she was seething, and unlike the last time she had snapped to this extent, she had stopped herself.

She had regained control.

Someone knocked on her door and she jumped up, staring at it like it would jump out and attack her. Who was out there? She couldn't see Luke right now, if she did, she would probably lose control again.

"Violet, are you in there?"

Violet let out a sigh of relief, it was only Jade. "What do you want?" She called, cursing the small waver in her voice. "I'm getting ready to go in the bath!"

Jade didn't buy it as he opened the door and walked inside, standing there as Violet looked away with hard eyes, blushing at the obvious lie she had given.

"I came to return this..." Jade said, holding the blade of the sword and offering the helm to the young woman he was in charge of.

Violet eyed the sword and a sudden shiver passed over her, causing her to hiss and snatch it, Jade letting go just before the blade could harm his hand. "Whatever..." She said, standing and slipping the sword back into her sheathe. "Is that all? If so, get out..."

"No..." Jade folded both arms behind his back and looked at her with serious, scolding eyes. "Your actions on the deck were inexcusable..." He started and Violet sat down, looking away with a look of discomfort and anger. "If you had attacked Luke, I would have had no choice but to execute you under the custody protocols..."

Violet didn't say anything, she just clenched her fists, forcing down the anger she felt as regret began to swell inside of her heart.

She didn't want to hear this.

"More so, the trust the others have in you is probably left in shambles thanks to those foolish actions..." She opened her mouth to speak, but Jade lifted his hand. "Let me finish..."

She snapped her mouth shut and glared at him, giving him her full attention. Usually she would argue and say that she didn't need their trust. But he wasn't going to allow that this time, she needed to hear the gravity of her mistake.

"I cannot allow this to go without punishment..." Jade said, lifting his chin strongly, the light now rendering his eyes unseen behind those glass barriers he kept on his nose. "You are not to go near Luke until we have separated from the group, and when you retire for the night, I will lock your door, to prevent any incidents..."

Violet tsked and looked away, not trying to repent for what she had done, nor did she make excuses. She knew the gravity of the situation and knew she must pay for any and all crimes she had or nearly committed.

"Do you agree to these conditions?" Jade asked.

"Do I get a choice?" Violet countered, meeting his gaze with her own, not showing the fear and weakness she had felt when she has almost killed again.

Jade chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose, his trademark smirk returning. Oh great, he's back to normal. "I don't believe so...Well then, I must return to the bridge, please refrain from attacking Luke during my absence..."

Violet scoffed and watched as Jade turned and left, when the door clicked shut and she heard his footsteps fade into silence, she ran her fingers through her fringe once more.

A soft, regretful sigh leaving her lips.

~TotA~

_Violet stood on the ledge of the glass path she had been knocked against, staring at Jade who awaited her jump, his arms outstretched to catch her._

_She swallowed hard and kicked off the wall to jump, however it splintered and shattered beneath her._

_"Violet!" Jade called as she fell, screaming, vanishing into the darkness below without a single word, her eyes showing her fear in those last moments._

_She was dead._

Violet screamed and shot up, her eyes wide as she looked at the wall in front of her, her hands trembling as she gripped the blanket tighter.

"I-I'm alive?" She breathed, lifting her hands and staring at them, both hands trembling as the adrenaline of the dream affected her.

She made a noise of anger and squeezed her hands into fists, then she tossed the blanket off and got out of bed, the room darker than before, it was still rather late it seemed.

Violet walked over to the door and went to open it, only to hum and tug again when it refused to budge. "Oh yeah..." She mumbled, letting go and stepping back, regret returning to her eyes. "I'm locked in..."

She turned and walked over to the window, staring out at the darkened sea of miasma, waiting for dawn which wouldn't come for several more hours.

There was no way she would get to sleep again, that nightmare had been worse, that nightmare had made her feel more vulnerable than ever before.

That nightmare reminded her that she had almost died.

~TotA~

Two days passed by with no word from the young noble, he had retreated to his room and only came out when he needed some food, and always when Violet wasn't around, as the others instructed him not to bother her.

Violet was now sat alone in the cafeteria, eating a bowl of Ramen, well, staring at it, her arms folded on the table as she looked down at the noodles floating in the broth.

"Violet?"

The young woman hummed and looked up to see Anise stood there, holding a bowl of Ramen too. "C-can we sit with you?" She asked, looking at Ion who came over, smiling kindly at her.

Violet was rather surprised, she herself thought that the others would avoid her. "Aren't I dangerous?" She asked, her voice holding bite as she picked up her fork and ate some of the Ramen.

"I don't believe so..." Ion said, and Anise gave her a bright smile, a kinder smile than she deserved. "Everyone was feeling rather strained that day, some take it better than others..."

Violet's eyes sharpened and she forced back the small sense of relief she felt. She didn't care for these people, not in the slightest. "I don't need your emotional insight, Fon Master..." She said, looking down at her food as she picked at it, no longer hungry. "I was just sick of Luke's whining, nothing more..."

Both Ion and Anise frowned, neither of them believing her words, and sat down, even with the noise of irritation from the young woman. "I want to know how you make your sword glow!" Anise said, trying to kick up a conversation.

Violet rolled her eyes and took another bite of her noodles, seeing no sense in wasting them. She also found no point in refusing to speak, so once she finished her mouthful, she explained. "It's a Mythril Sword, if crafted well enough, someone can channel their Fonons into the blade and make it glow, increasing the power of the blows slightly..."

Ion smile brightly. "That sounds amazing!" He said, making Violet blink and blush slightly, closing her eyes and slipping some more noodles between her lips.

Those same flickers of relief nipped at her again, slowly being forced back by her stubborn nature.

~TotA~

Violet screamed as she shot up, panting hard as she ran her fingers through her fringe, her head throbbing with another headache, caused by her lack of decent sleep.

It had been a week since the destruction of Akzeriuth and now the nightmares of both Akzeriuth and that incident nine years ago plagued her, refusing to let her rest.

She felt her eyes burn with the feeling of tears and cursed, forcing them back.

She felt pathetic.

~TotA~

Violet stood outside on the deck of the Tartarus, the wind whipping her white hair around without mercy, her eyes fixed on the miasma filled sea, tainting her eyes a darker purple in the strange hue of the poison filled air.

Two weeks had passed, in all that time, she had maybe four hours of sleep a night, due to the nightmares waking her before she could rest fully.

"Thinking again, I see..."

Violet made a noise of irritation and glanced at the person who spoke from the corner of her eye, recognising the voice without even needing to see who it was.

"What do you want, Colonel?" She asked, looking back at the sludge with her usual bite, not really interested in his teasing or jokes.

"I have come to inform you that we will be arriving in Yulia City in two weeks time..." Jade said, looking at her with a smirk, his arms behind his back. "I finally managed to repair the ship's computerized map, and we used that to determine the time it will take to get there..."

"So we're stuck out here for two weeks?"

"Yes..."

Violet made a noise of disgust and glared at Jade. "Fine, you've told me, now go away..." She said, her voice holding bite as Jade stared at her, then turned and left her to her thoughts.

She huffed and looked out at the sludge. "I'm stuck with on a ship with an annoying little brat for two weeks..." She said, thinking of Luke, who had passed her on several occasions, but she refused to speak two words to him.

"Just great..."

~TotA~

The Tartarus continued to sail through the toxic sludge that took the place of the ocean, a large waterfall of miasma blocking their path.

The last two weeks passed without any trouble, the entire group, minus Luke, now occupied the bridge as Jade stood on the platform above, his hand pressed against a circular screen.

"Tear..." He said, looking down at her as she turned and looked up, all of them facing the windows. "Should we continue through here?"

"Yes..." Tear said, looking back at the windows, staring at the large waterfall. "Yulia City is over there..."

"Everyone, brace yourselves..." Jade said, staring at the screen as he channeled his command into it, everyone grabbing onto something as they sailed through the waterfall, the entire ship shook violently from the force of the purple waves.

Once through, Yulia City was seen and Violet made a small noise of relief, she was sick and tired of sitting on this ship, she just wanted to feel solid ground again.

The ship slowly sailed to the port and stopped, the entire group, including Luke, who had been collected by a reluctant Tear, walking off, Violet at the front with Jade, and Luke at the back, to avoid any near incidents like before.

"A sea of mud and miasma everywhere, and a strangely colored sky..." Natalia said as they walked down the bridge towards the city, the barrier making it so Violet's allergy would not affect her. The air was clean.

"I can't believe there's really a city here..." Anise said softly, looking up at the beautifully lit city.

"Anyway, let's go see the mayor..." Tear said and everyone nodded, walking forward. However Tear saw that Luke wasn't following and sighed, turning to look at him. His eyes downcast and his expression spoiled and stubborn. "Aren't you coming?" She asked, walking over to him.

"Everyone's just going to blame me anyway..." Luke said, turning his head further, glaring at the floor like it was blaming him too. "I don't want to go..."

"You're despicable, you reject!"

Luke gasped and looked over his shoulder, startled by the red haired God-General at the end of the path. "Asch!" Tear called, pureply out of shock. "How? Didn't my brother take you?"

"A single Griffin is nothing to me..." Asch said, staring at Luke as he ran over, speaking with urgency.

"Master...Where's Master?" Luke asked, panic in his tone, he needed answers and he needed them now.

Asch let out a huff of laughter and glared at the young noble before him. "You still call him Master after he just betrayed you?"

Luke gasped and his eyes widened, horrified realization coating his features, his body trembling. "Then he really did..."

"If only I had realized Van's plans earlier..." Asch said, looking away, thinking of his actions and what could have happened if he had in fact realized it sooner. "And you!" He roared, glaring at Luke, who stepped back in shock. "Why didn't you think before you using your hyperresonance?!"

"Are you saying it's my fault, too?!" Luke asked, glaring at Asch with that spoiled tone reaching back in again, trying to hide behind excuses. "I...I..."

"You've got to be kidding me..." Asch said, his face twisting into disgust. "It seems even your brain is defective, Replica!"

"Asch!" Tear called, Luke's face warping into numbing shock, absorbing the young God-General's words.

"'Replica'..." Luke repeated, staring at Asch, but not actually seeing him, still processing this. "Master used that word, too...Why...? I feel like I've heard it somewhere..." He gasped as he remembered the conversation.

_"With Fomicry, a technology that was researched in the past, we can create isofons..." Tear explained._

_"That is a technique that can create copies, replicas..." Jade said once Tear had finished._

"C-copies..." Luke said, looking down at the ground, that conversation playing in his head, over and over again.

"So you still haven't figured it out?" Asch asked, letting out a small huff of laughter. "Now this is amusing..."

"Wh-what? What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Stop it, Asch!" Tear called, she had already gotten what Asch was trying to say, and she knew if Luke were to find out, he wouldn't be able to cope and his sanity would snap.

"Why do you think you and I have the same face?" Asch asked, paying no attention to Tear.

"H-how should I know...?" Luke said, both he and Asch keeping eye contact as the conversation went on.

"I'm a noble who was born in Baticul..." Asch said, his eyes narrowing as he finally spoke the words Luke would never forget. "Seven years ago I was kidnapped by a villain named Van..."

"Y-you don't mean..." Luke stammered, his eyes wide, his whole body shaking once more, realization slowly sneaking into his subconscious, his conscious mind trying hard to deny the feeling.

"Exactly!" Asch snarled, anger burning in his eyes and expression. "You're nothing but a copy of me, a mere replica!"

Luke made a noise of fear as the truth slammed into him like a wall, causing him to step back. "You're lying..." He said, his voice cracking as he grabbed his hair in fear, his features a mix of horror and insanity. "It's not true!"

He bent at the wast and held his hair tighter, repeating the words, over and over, unable to accept them. "It's not true! It's not true! It's not true!" He let out a roar and grabbed the helm of his sword, pulling it out and going for Asch.

"Luke!" Tear called, realizing that he was acting as Violet had, however Violet had controlled herself, in this situation, Luke had lost his mind. "Stop it, Luke!"

Luke slashed at Asch several times, each slash missing as he wasn't actually aiming where his sword was going. Small memories flickering through his head, only cementing Asch's words.

_"That promise..." Natalia said, looking over her shoulder at Luke. "You will remember it one day, won't you?"_

_~TotA~_

_"Tear!" Legretta called, looking down at Tear, who refused to meet her gaze. "Are you saying you choose this reject over the Commandant?"_

Luke continued to slash at Asch, but the trained God-General just side stepped each and every one of them. 'To think this piece of trash is my replica...' He thought to himself. 'I was robbed of my family and my home by this dreck?!'

The noble came at Asch once more and the God-General pulled out his sword and slammed it into Luke's blade, knocking him to the ground.

"Die!" Asch roared, running up to Luke and pointing his blade at the noble's head.

"Luke!" Tear screamed.

* * *

**A/N: What do you think? The hardest part about writing this chapter was trying to fit it to the standards I had for it in my head. Which were really high.**

**I think I managed it though.**

**Please review, all comments and advice are appreciated and welcome, I take criticism well and I am not afraid to hear what I have done wrong.**

**Thank you.**


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